


When A Plan Comes Together

by chimera01



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: AU, F/M, GFY, M/M, Multi, Sentient Atlantis
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-01
Updated: 2013-12-27
Packaged: 2018-01-03 02:27:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 63,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1064648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chimera01/pseuds/chimera01
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She had been alone for so long, surrounded by cold water, isolated from life, her energy and will to live slowly depleting.  Then new people came to her, strange and frightened, and they brought her back to life.  She knows She can care for them; She can give them shelter, She can show them how wonderful life here is, She can teach them so much.  But they must learn to trust Her, and they must learn to care for themselves.  They have the will to survive, but She will have to give them the will to live.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> AU after Wraith seige. Series has basically been re-written. This is how I thought things should go.  
> Part of the NANO Challenge on Rough Trade, I met my 50,000 word goal, and moved it to here so I could continue the story without the pressure of a deadline.

Cold. Icy Wet. Lonely.  
The depth of despair could not be measured.  
They had all left Her.  They began a war they could not win, and they abandoned Her when the losses got too great.  
Sunk to the bottom of the sea, weak with anger and emptiness, She was lost.  Her will to live on was leaving Her.  
Then, many many years later, a spark of interest; a signal that perhaps She was no longer to be alone.  
Her gateway lit after so long silent.  
And voices.  Strange, a language She did not quite understand, loud after so much silence.  
She felt their heartbeats as they filed into Her halls, their trepidation evident as they struggled to understand Her and what She could be to them.  
She had no power to greet them, and She worried terribly.  Her shields would not hold for long.  She was barely surviving alone; now with new people, She had no hope of helping them as She now was.  
She summoned Her last reserve and rose.  It was quick and not gentle.  The voices grew shocked, then relieved.  
Finally, after so many years beneath the waves, She felt the sun.  
Their relief was tangible.  They now had hope.  
And so did She.  
She was no longer alone.  She was alive again, but so very weak.  
Their movements brought Her attention.  They were attaching machines, strange machines that struggled to merge with Her systems, and Her reserves strengthened slightly.  
They were giving Her power.  
They were giving Her life.  
They were giving Her hope.  
She would return the favor.  She would keep them as safe as She could.    
And perhaps they would not leave Her alone again.  
  
                                                                                            *****************************************************  
  
  
Life on Atlantis was exciting, and not always in a good way.  They met new people and forged new alliances.  And they made new enemies.  It would have been pure folly for them to believe that they would not make enemies.  But the Wraith?  Seriously?  Those things wanted to _EAT_ them.  And that wasn’t cool at all.    
The city database was unfortunately fairly empty of information about the Wraith.  If there was a homeworld, they couldn’t find it.  If there was an easy way to kill them, they couldn’t find it.  Hell, they couldn’t even find out where the Wraith came from, and it was starting to piss Rodney off royally!  He had been looking forward to this mystery trip to the Pegasus Galaxy; he longed for the ability to discover new science and maybe find a source of defense in their war against the Ori and the Gou’ald.  Instead, he got a beautiful city, wrecked and sunk to the bottom of the ocean, and an enemy that wanted to _EAT_ him!  
Sure, the city was fascinating.  The labs were full of the stuff of dreams for his scientists.  And nightmares.  That EnergyMonster was not a good time, and it certainly proved at least to him that he had the fortitude to live out here, but he sometimes wished for an easier time of it.  He would, at the very least, appreciate an easier way to navigate the City’s computer systems.  There were protocols that his people couldn’t access.  There were doors that his people couldn’t open.  There were laboratories that possibly held dangers or salvations that his people simply could not find any information about.    
And of course, there was that damn Wraith that was hibernating in the deepest part of the city.    
Yeah, that was a nightmare.  
After a year out here, alone with no contact from Earth and no help except for the Athosians, Rodney would really have liked a small break.  
Just one.  
Really.  
Like, right now would be nice.  
Because there were a fuckton of Wraith heading for the City, and their weapons were shit, and they could power the shields for the city or they could maybe cloak the city in the hopes that the Wraith might possibly overlook them and not attack.  
Right.  Not really going to happen.  
So, basically, they were screwed.  
Their nukes weren’t going to save them, no matter how much he wished it were so.  Rodney was fairly certain that he would miss this place in his last moments before dying.  Regret wasn’t really his thing, but he maybe had time to learn to appreciate it.  
Or not.  
Radek Zelenka had an idea.  
A spectacularly idiotic idea.  
Put up the shields, then explode a major bomb over the city and make it look like the City had been destroyed.  It was crazy, but so were their chances otherwise, so it might work.  But they needed a distraction.  
And John had a plan.  
Rodney wasn’t sure which was worse, the fact that it was John’s plan, or that they were considering it.   The Major had a major Saving-People thing, so his idea for self-sacrifice really didn’t sit well with Rodney.  Rodney just needed a little bit more time to get this worked out, and nobody else had to die.

Of course, he was a tad distracted right now.  There were reports over the radio of Wraith in the city.  There were explosions and weapons fire all over the place.  Scientists were freaking out all around him.  So perhaps he could be forgiven for not noticing the missing nuke.

And the soon-to-be-missing Jumper flying away from the city.

 Yeah, he totally missed that one.  Until he heard Sheppard’s voice announce from the radio speaker in his ear—

“So long, Rodney.”

What the hell was that?  What did Sheppard do?  Better yet, what could he do to fix it?  Did he just really lose Sheppard?

What the actual hell???

                                                                                   *******************************************************

 

She was only just getting used to new life within Her walls.  She had to learn a new language, which fortunately seemed slightly derivative of one She knew already but hadn’t heard in so long.  She had to get used to new footsteps along Her hallways.  New patterns of life as Her new people rose with the sun and rested with the moons and traded shifts in patterns that She needed to learn.

She had names and heartbeats and vocal patterns to learn.  She had faces to place with the names; stern and frowning, smiling and laughing (much more rare), confused and excited.

She had “duty rotations” and “Away missions” and “Trade negotiations” to memorize.

There were new names for Her systems; Infirmary, Mess Hall, Puddle Jumper.  So strange were they, but She understood that this meant Her new people were getting settled and trying to make a home.

There were a few people who could almost completely Merge with Her.  They seemed to be descendents of Her old people—the people who left her alone so long ago.  She learned the names of most of the people who could Merge with Her; The Beckett, LizElizabethDoctorWeir, Shepherd.  The last one was one of Her favorites.  Shepherd meant keeper, or “one who keeps safe” in the Old Language.  From Her view from the mirror in his room, She could read that the name on his clothing was spelled S-H-E-P-P-A-R-D, so not quite the same.  But his job was similar—he kept the others safe. 

 The Beckett had developed a medical treatment that allowed more of Her new people to Merge with Her, although the Merging was not as complete.  Some had a full Merging while others could access just a few systems.  Still others could not Merge at all, and She felt lonelier without them.  As for the people who could Merge, She had almost found a way to talk to them.  She heard more than one tell someone else that She was talking, that they could hear Her.  When more of Her new people had this treatment, She learned a new name: LoudMcKay.  He strove to keep Her systems running and to give Her more power, so he became another of Her favorites.  He was rather excitable, and She found him amusing.  But She had learned that when LoudMcKay was alarmed or angry, She had best pay attention because something within Her walls would be in danger, or be a danger to Her people.  Or sometimes it meant that Her systems were not running properly and could make life more difficult for Her people.

She was saddened when they learned of the Wraith, and She silently cursed those who left Her for the Wraiths’ existence.  She watched in awe as Her new people invited the Athosians within Her walls after the Wraith culled their village.  She listened as Her people plotted to help the Athosians settle on the mainland so they would be safer. 

Much later, She mourned when their military leader was killed by the Wraith.

She searched Her memory for any entries about the Wraith.  What could She tell Her new people about the Wraith that would help them survive here?  Those that left Her alone had left no information behind that could help.  At least, they left nothing within Her walls.  But there were other outposts that She could try to contact, and information about the Wraith, and viable crops, and Potentia Recharging, and Drone construction; all of that information could be accessed.  She would need more power to do so, but She knew that She had the opportunity to aid Her new people.  Slowly, She began re-directing power from Her new generators so that She could save enough power to access the nearest outpost.  She needed to make life easier for Her new people.  She needed them to stay with Her.  She didn’t want to be alone again.

Sometimes during an “Away Mission”, someone would go out of the city and would get injured.  Or killed.  Those were the worst times for Her, because She could not protect them outside of Her walls.  So She adjusted Her sensors to include the “Puddle Jumpers”.  At least then She could monitor them if they flew from Her safety.  If they walked through the Portal, which they called a “Stargate”, She could not monitor them.  So She had to think of a way to watch over them when they left Her.  She came upon the idea of Merging with their radios.  Everyone who held an important job within Her walls carried one of these radios.  They wore them constantly, unless they were sleeping or there was a medical emergency.  In either of those cases, they were contained within Her safety anyway, and monitoring was not a difficulty.  She might not be able to actually lend aid to Her people, but She could hear them.  She would know when to celebrate and when to mourn.  She could prepare for their homecoming. 

Then Her sensors picked up approaching Wraith Hive Ships.  They were only days away, and Her people were unprepared for the impending attack.  She listened closely as they tried to plan.  She sat silently, gauging her stored power, and wondered if there was enough time to access an outpost for any helpful information.  If she reached out at the wrong time, She risked losing touch with Her people in their time of greatest need.  If She did not reach out, She still could not aid them; Her weapons were low and Her shields were not powerful enough to withstand a full attack.  She did not want to hear her people die.  They were so far from their own homeworld and they had no support.  None of their new allies could offer more than temporary shelter, and Her people transferred as many non-essential personnel through the Stargate as they safely could.  Those left behind were frantically trying to save Her and the irony was not lost to Her.  The explosions shook Her walls.  Weapons projectiles pierced Her tough exterior and She internally wept for their desperation.

And Sheppard, Her new Keeper, launched away with a Jumper and a bomb, opting to sacrifice himself to save Her people, and She once again knew loss and despair.  Even if they managed to hide from the Wraith, how could they survive without the Keeper?  How could She go on when such a bright light within Her walls was extinguished?

Without another thought, She reached out with a quiet signal, and touched an abandoned outpost.  Here was the information She needed to pass along.  Her people, if they did indeed survive the Wraith attack, would need to know all that was held within these files.  She had learned enough of Her new people’s language to make a decent translation for them.  These files, a last damned library left behind when She was sunk and abandoned, held the key to all of the nightmares of the Old People; how they created the Wraith with their arrogance, how they created a power source that could only be recharged with deliberate application of positive energy (something in very short supply after the Wraith came to be), how they created weapons out of fear and anxiety.  All of these things left behind, as if the Old People could un-make them when they no longer could see evidence of their existence.  
Like they left Her behind, alone with no hope.

She could give Her new people these files, and She could help them use the information.  She would have to facilitate an environment where they felt hope and joy, but She could show them that living with Her could be wonderful.  She could show them that they could prosper.

Once again, She could house and protect and nurture.

But they would have to survive this attack, and they would have to be open to what She shows them.

Reaching out and talking to them would be Her first task.  Once they heard Her, accepted that She wanted to help them and understood that She could help them, then She would reveal what She found.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

Her people were, for the most part, safe.

There was loss of life, and She mourned heavily.  The few Wraith that managed to breach Her walls killed only a few, and thankfully even fewer by feeding.  There were small favors there, as death by feeding was supposed to be excruciating.  The weapons fire from the Hive Ships that had managed to find Her home damaged Her shell and killed others within Her walls.  She would bear those scars for a very long time.  Her people may be able to cover the cosmetic damage, but She would forever feel the damage.

Her Keeper was alive, by some force of miracle perpetuated by their homeworld.  They sent aid, after so long, and they kept Her Keeper alive.  She was both grateful and frightened.  Grateful that Her people were alive; frightened because these newcomers might possibly take Her new people far from Her.

The newcomers brought more than firepower to save Her people; they brought a nearly complete Potentia.  They brought power for Her.  LoudMcKay was exceptionally excited about it.  She monitored the way he cleaned and handled it.  His care made Her very happy.  It only proved how much he did care for Her.  He was oh, so careful as he initiated the installation into Her systems, and he brightened greatly when “new” systems came online for him to discover.  She was very careful to provide the new information in small doses, and giving him the most important information first.  Now She needed to let him know how to read and apply it.  It was time for Her to reach out and attempt to speak to Her new people for the first time.

 

                                                                                               **************************************************

 

Okay, John was fairly certain that he was flying off to his death when he put the bomb on the Jumper.  It wasn’t ideal, but it was the only thing he could think of to give Rodney time to save the city.

But that bright light as he was ‘beamed’ onto the Daedalus really kinda freaked him out.  He wasn’t sure what he believed, religiously, especially when he learned about Ascension and the Ancients, but he really wasn’t expecting a true “White Light” experience.  So maybe he could be forgiven for almost crying when he saw Col. Caldwell sitting in front of him instead of some glowy higher being.

Relieved, but shaken.

Mostly relieved.

He was also relieved that the city was still standing.  Floating.   Whatever.  The place he somehow now considered home was still mostly intact.  Unfortunately, he also learned about all of the deaths in the city as a result of the attack.  Poor Ford was gone, in the worst way; found off the edge of the East Pier, floating still attached to the Wraith who was feeding on him.  After watching Sumner die that way, John could totally understand Ford wanting to kill himself—and his killer—before the feeding could incapacitate him.  He was still youthful when they found him, which would only be a consolation when they gave his body to his family for burial.  At least they would get a body.  So many families wouldn’t.

 

They had almost given up hope of ever hearing from the Milky Way again.  They were certain they were all alone out here without support.  And then, suddenly there were re-enforcements.  Not only were there more weapons and soldiers and scientists at their disposal, but the SCG had found two new ZPMs, mostly charged, and brought one to Atlantis.  They had more power for the city, and the much needed capability of contacting the SGC should they need to.  It was a boon they had not anticipated.  Rodney was over the moons about it.  Once they took the time to re-gather their resources and clean up, and mourn their dead, Rodney McKay and Radek Zelenka were tasked with cleaning and installing the ZPM.  While they were doing that, Dr. Weir was busy calling meetings to see how they could best use their new crew and supplies.

Also, she was deciding who was going to be the military leader within the city.  Caldwell had the rank, officially, and the technical experience.  Elizabeth Weir may have “promoted” John from Major to Lt. Colonel, but it was an unofficial field promotion, and the Joint Chiefs could remove it from his record without rancor.  It would just put John back in the position that he started in: Glorified Light Switch.  He never really wanted to lead, and the Marines knew it.  Not all of the soldiers in the city followed him easily—some were downright hostile—and he knew that they would be sent home once the sorting was done.  But, still, John may have earned a bit more respect from his fellow soldiers than he realized.  They looked him in the eye now.  Elizabeth wanted him to stay in charge, and she was pushing hard for it.  He didn’t ever remember a more tense video conference in his entire career, even when he disobeyed orders in Afghanistan.

 

“General O’Neill, I appreciate that Col. Caldwell has higher rank here.  I do understand the concept.  But John Sheppard knows what we face out here, and the people we have met respect him as our military leader.  Our allies look to him for leadership and confirmation in treaties.  Col. Caldwell would have to start from a bare beginning to get that kind of reaction here.  Also the soldiers currently in the city, from all branches and nationalities, now look to him for leadership.  He has more than earned his place and the promotion that I gave him.”

“As it happens, Dr. Weir, I agree with you.  After long discussion at Homeworld Security, we have decided to honor your Field Promotion and to back it.  Lt. Colonel John Sheppard will remain the military commander in the city.”

“What?!?”   Stephen Caldwell was shocked and unhappy.  And a slight bit angry.

“Calm down, Colonel.  You have a very important position as Captain of the Daedalus.  We don’t have a huge fleet of Spaceships, and we need experienced pilots.  We have a nasty situation here with the Ori, and apparently an even nastier situation there with the Wraith.  We’ll need our fleet to carry personnel and supplies between galaxies, as well as to provide fire support in major conflicts.  We’re building as fast as we can, but space-worthy vehicles take time, and training officers to man them takes even longer.  I need you right where you are.  Is that understood?”

“Yes, sir.  It’s understood.”

“Good.  Now, Dr. Weir, how is that ZPM thingie we sent doing for you?”

“Drs. McKay and Zelenka are prepping it now.  I’m sure it will be of great help.  At the very least, we’ll be able to use the generators for simple power usage and not waste them trying to power the more complex systems in the city.”

 

                                                                              ******************************************************** 

 

“Rodney, the ZPM is ready to install.  Do we need to call Sheppard or another gene carrier here for the process?”

“What?  No.  A super-gene isn’t needed for this.  My ATA gene can get the installation done.  I’m more concerned with possible overload once we connect the power.  We should make a general announcement to shut down un-necessary systems until we know this is going to be stable.  I don’t want to risk more damage to the city.”

“Yes, yes, sending message now.  We should wait until Dr. Weir is finished arguing with SGC.  She is pushing not to replace Sheppard.”

“Why would they replace Sheppard?   He’s done more to keep us all alive out here than even Sumner would have.  At least he’s made it possible to make friends here.  That’s been somewhat useful.  Most of my idiots mostly respect him.  He’s more tolerable than any other grunt they could put in charge.”

“Very high praise coming from you.  We install now, yes?”

“Yes.  Hand it over carefully.”

The ZPM slid gently into place, and lights briefly flashed around them.

_LoudMcKay_

_LoudMcKay_

_LoudMcKay_

_LoudMcKay_

“Radek, did you say something?”

“No, Rodney.  I am taking readings.  There is no need for talk yet.”

_LoudMcKay_

_McKay_

_McKay_

_Rodney_

_Hear me_

_Hear me, Rodney_

“Who’s talking to me?”

“Rodney, there is no one else here.  And I am not talking.”

_Hear me, Rodney_

_Hear me, Rodney_

_Touch the Monitor Screen_

_Hear Me_

 

Rodney carefully walked over to the monitor Radek was taking scans from, and pushed him aside.  Taking a deep breath, he placed his hand on the screen and spoke out loud to—nothing.

“Is this where you want me?  Who are you?”

“Rodney?  Who are you talking to?”

_Rodney, hear me_

_“_ I hear you.  Oh, god, I’m going crazy.  Who are you?”

_You call me Atlantis_

_They called me Atlantis_

_They left me_

_You came to me_

 

“Radek, go outside and contact Sheppard and Weir.  Get them here immediately.”

“What is happening, Rodney?”

“I think I’m talking to the city.”

_Hear me, Rodney_

_I waited for you to hear me_

_Hear me_

“I hear you.  I hear you very well.”

“Oh, můj bože!!”

 

Radek ran from the room in search of Colonel Sheppard and Dr. Weir, completely forgetting that he was wearing a radio.  The gene therapy hadn’t worked for him, and he found himself jealous frequently of those it did work for.  They often made comments about how it sometimes felt that the city was whispering in their minds.  Now, it appeared that the city was speaking out loud—at least to Rodney.

 

                                                                              *******************************************************

 

Weir, Caldwell, and Sheppard sat at the conference table, tablets and lists in front of them, hashing out the details of incoming personnel, out-going personnel (and who on that list needed to be confined in the brig), and distributing supplies.  John was getting an assistant—an Executive Officer—and wasn’t that a hoot.  He was a gene carrier, as were many of their new soldiers, so that would make duty assignments easier.  At the very least, you needed to be a gene carrier to fly a Jumper, and pilots were needed often to transport trade supplies or people in emergencies.  At least Caldwell calmed down about his lack of promotion.  He understood that he would be support staff, and would be in position to take charge in emergencies, and O’Neill told him to deal with it and get off his high horse.  Pretty amusing that.

They all sat back in alarm when Radek Zelenka ran into the room, muttering nonsense.

“Oh, můj bože.  Oh, můj bože.  Mluví do města.”

“Radek, calm down.  Is Rodney hurt?”

“Dr. Weir, you must come.  You, too, Sheppard.”

“Is Rodney hurt?”

“Rodney talks to city.  And now, city talks back.”

Alarmed, they all ran from the room and headed toward the ZPM room.  Entering, they found Rodney standing in the center of the room with his hand flat against the main monitor.  He appeared to be having a one-way conversation.

 

“Rodney?  Are you alright?”

“Elizabeth!  Oh, good, you need to be here for this.  Sheppard as well.  The city just began whispering to me.”

“Are you sure it’s not just the strain of the last few weeks?  We’ve all been under extreme stress.”

“Yeah, Buddy, the way I figure, you should have cracked at least a day ago.”

“Ha, ha Sheppard.  Don’t you ‘hear’ the city in your mind with your Super-gene?  Well, she just decided to start speaking to me.  After we installed the ZedPM.”

“Perhaps there is finally enough power for communication.”

“How are you hearing—um, her?”

“Yes, Elizabeth, the city is definitely a ‘her’.  It started as a whisper in my head.  I could barely hear it.  But she said to touch this panel, and when I did, she came in loud and clear.”

“And what is she telling you?”

“Right now, she’s telling me how to better access and translate her database.  You know the lack of organization has been a major problem for us.  Now I know how to make searching the database easier for everyone, not just the gene carriers.”

“Can I ‘speak’ to her?”

 

_ElizabethLizDrWeir does not have a strong application of the Merge_

_She shall have to maintain contact with the monitor_

_I cannot Merge with many within my walls_

_ElizabethLizDrWeir may make contact_

 

“Well, The city is willing to talk with you, but you’ll have to give her something simple to call you.  Her name for you is very long and annoying.  Also you’ll have to keep touching the monitor to hear her.  Your expression of the gene is not strong enough, it seems.”

“Alright, then.  Move over, Rodney.”

Nervously, Dr Weir placed her hand next to Rodney’s, and glanced at Sheppard and Caldwell, hoping they would pull her away if she appeared to be in any danger.  They both nodded at her.

 

_ElizabethLizDrWeir_

_Hear me_

“Um, you may just call me Elizabeth.  Have you always been able to talk with us?”

_I sought to Merge when first you came_

_Lonely for so long_

_Few of you could hear me_

_None of you could hear me well_

_Hear me now, Elizabeth_

_I have much to teach you_

“Perhaps we can speak in my office?  I have a chair there, and a window.”

 

                                                                        ***************************************************

 

Elizabeth, John, and Rodney decided to take a pro-active measure, and delivered the news of the city’s sentience in a large group meeting with both old and new personnel gathered in the Gateroom.  The message was simple:  If you possessed the ATA gene, even artificially—and even if it wasn’t very strong—you _might_ be able to sense a tickle in your mind that was the presence of city.  The presence was sentient, was female, and was invested in keeping the residents of the city alive and healthy.  The three of them decided to keep the ability of the city to actively “talk” to her inhabitants quiet.  They had a feeling that information would freak people out.  For that reason, they requested that the City not actively contact her citizens unless there was an emergency.  They passed the information along to the SGC in a data burst, knowing Caldwell would at the very least tell O’Neill when he got home.  In the city, they only people aware of her ability were Dr Carson Beckett, Elizabeth, John, Rodney, and Radek Zelenka, and a few new personnel: Major Evan Lorne, John’s new XO, Miko Kusanagi, one of Rodney’s new and smarter staff, and Chuck Campbell, Elizabeth’s new assistant and main Gate operator.    So far, the only result of the announcement was a spirited discussion of what to ‘name’ the city, as they all felt it rude to refer to her as “City”.  For some reason, no one thought to actually _ask_ what the city would like to be called.  The front-runner seemed to be “Lanta”, followed by “Lantea”.  “Atlantis” was never considered, as they all felt that was the name of the place where they lived.  Since the Athosians referred to them as “Lanteans”, for some reason, “Lantea” was quickly adopted as the name of the sentience.      

                             

                                                                        *******************************************************************

 

The Merging was far from perfect.  She had many more New People walking along Her hallways now.  Some were bright lights to her, some were dim.

She came to a better understanding of how they all worked together.

She allowed access to a few more labs, the ones that didn’t hold true dangers.   McKay had requested ability to catalogue lab contents before he allowed entry to any of his “Scientists”, especially if they were very new to Her.  He claimed not to trust them to be smart enough to take care of themselves, but She understood that he feared for their safety.  Her scans did not reveal the hibernating Wraith they discovered shortly after they arrived, and She had had no way to warn Her people about the captured energy void that somehow survived alone with Her.  Now that She knew enough of their languages to translate Her database, She could make cataloguing easier.

Still, She felt it would be best for all of Her people if She cautiously distributed new information.  Her people certainly possessed enough anxiety and fear to power the Drone processors to create more weapons, they had not achieved enough positive energy to create, or even recharge, another Potentia.  This was something She felt necessary to encourage.  She knew that if She could achieve full power, She could keep Her people safe for all time.

She had long, enjoyable discussions with Elizabeth.  As a concession to privacy, She did not initiate contact with anyone if they were within their own living quarters.  If Her people contacted Her privately, She would answer the call.

They call Her Lantea.

Her old people, the ones who created Her and then left Her alone, had never bothered to give her a name.


	3. Chapter 3

Rodney was mostly certain that telling other people about Lantea’s ability to communicate was a good idea.  Sheppard and Lorne spent a lot of their time discussing safety and defense and the city’s weapons systems.  Elizabeth talked with Lantea about the new database search programs, and Elizabeth was teaching Lantea about modern Earth culture, since most of the new inhabitants were from modern Earth.  The current discussion seemed to be about holidays and the celebration thereof.

But Miko, Radek and Sheppard all personally took the time to tell Lantea about Rodney’s hypoglycemia and citrus allergy, and now all of his personal laptops, monitor screens, and tablets shut off at regular intervals when Lantea deemed it time for him to eat, and it didn’t seem to matter if the computer was connected to the city systems or not.  Right now, he was in the middle of a major reconfiguration of the grounding station power cells, and everything had gone black.  There was a massive storm coming, once so huge they weren’t sure how to categorize it, and Lantea was basically ‘herding’ him toward the central Mess Hall for a late dinner.

A _very_ late dinner, sure, but still.

And the worst part was, if he didn’t just go when she shut down his work, she’s send someone—usually Sheppard—to come and get him.  So, with a sigh, Rodney rose from his work station and headed toward food.  He actually met Sheppard and Teyla in the hallway on the way there.

 

“Working late, Rodney?”

“There is a lot to do with the grounding stations, and very little time to do it.  You’d figure that since I’m actually trying to keep the city from blowing up from lightning strikes, she’d lay off a bit.”

“Your health is very important.  Everyone knows this.  She has done much to ensure that you remain healthy enough to keep her safe.”

 

Telling Teyla about Lantea only made sense.  She was a valuable member of their Away Team, she was the defacto leader of the Athosian people, and she was a new city inhabitant; the decision to live in the city instead of with her people on the mainland was not an easy one to make, but she felt that she could make a larger contribution if she stayed with her team.  So, because Teyla was so perceptive and intelligent, Elizabeth told her about the sentient city.  Since then, even though Teyla had refused the gene therapy, she had made an effort to communicate with Lantea on a daily basis.  A tablet computer was given to her and Lantea Merged with it, ‘speaking’ to Teyla easily in that way.  Teyla had kept the secret beautifully, and seemed to enjoy the interaction.

 

“Yeah, Rodney,” said Sheppard, “That thing she did with the hand scanners was pretty cool.  And that has helped us find other food sources off-world.”

John was referring to the fact that Lantea had requested nutrition information from Carson, including chemical breakdowns of foods that the citizens had allergies to.  Rodney wasn’t the only person in the city with food allergies, although nuts and certain grains were easier to identify in the local food supplies.  Once Carson entered samples of all the allergy-indicative foods into a processor that Lantea supplied, she was able to identify characteristics that would be similar to Pegasus Galaxy foods.  Then, she Merged with hand scanners and LSDs, inputting the information, and they could scan meats and grains and plants on other worlds now and tell of they would be safe to eat.  On abandoned or uninhabited worlds, even if there was no population to meet with or technology to check out, they had managed to find food sources that could either be harvested there or brought to Atlantis’ homeworld and transplanted.  They had found, so far, equivalents of wheat, rice, corn, grapes, oranges, lemons, and—blessedly—coffee.  So, they knew what they could use and what to avoid, all without the hit-or-miss system they used their first year there.

At first they were afraid of offending potential partners when they scanned the food that was being offered, but once they explained that some of the foods could actually kill some of their people no one complained.  That was how they found out that Tava Beans had a higher protein level than milk or cheese and that a cherry-like fruit on another world had a high vitamin C content with no citrus at all.  So long supplements for Rodney.  And they tasted good, so that was a plus.  Also, the C-cherry, as they had taken to calling it, grew plentifully and wildly like a weed, so there was no need to trade for it.  It was _everywhere_ , and most of the people they encountered had no use for it.  Once they found a dairy source, Rodney was hoping for ice-cream.

 

“While I appreciate the effort going into keeping me healthy, we have a monster storm coming this way and I have to solve the grounding station issue.”

“I do not understand this ‘grounding station’ issue, Rodney.  Is it really that serious?”

“Do you know what a lightning rod is?”

“No, I have never heard of this, either.”

“Okay, let’s make this simple.  A lightning rod is a long metal rod, inserted into the ground, which attracts lightning strikes and keeps the electricity from damaging homes and property.  Naturally, very large and tall trees form lightning rods.  That’s why it is dangerous to be under or near a tree in a lightning storm.  The city of Atlantis is floating on a salt-water ocean, and water in general can attract lightning; salt water is worse.  The grounding stations that are placed on the piers are supposed to rise, and act as lightning rods.  They are designed to attract the destructive power of the lightning and store that power in battery cells.  The city can then use the power like a generator for the desalination plant to give us fresh water.  If the grounding stations do not rise, the amount of lightning we’re expecting could do a lot of damage to the city; it could potentially sever one or more of the piers or topple the towers.  And as it stands, they are stuck and will not rise.”

“Then we will eat quickly, and rest your harried brain, and then you can get back to the problem recharged.  We are just now finishing plans to evacuate the city and mainland.  Our people will be safe off world.”

 

                                                                                         ******************************************************* 

 

The damage caused to Her structure while She was submerged was extensive.  She could not repair Herself.

If She was not repaired, She could not sufficiently shelter Her people.

She was overjoyed to know that people like McKay and his ‘scientists’ were so dedicated to restoring Her to Her former glory.

They were growing to love Her as She loved them.

They were caring for Her.

McKay had a habit of neglecting himself in favor of trying to improve Her status.  She could not allow him to be damaged.

The coming storm was dominating Her monitors as Her people prepared to leave Her once again.  Only this time, She was certain they would return.  Elizabeth was continuously reassuring Her while making plans to send Her people off world.  Even on the mainland, the Athosians were preparing to evacuate.  The storm would ravage the settlement.  She would once again offer shelter to these courageous people after they returned.

Sheppard also took the time to tell Her that they weren’t leaving forever; that they would be back as soon as they could.

She was making headway in filtering information to Her people.  They had allowed Her to Merge fully with their hand scanners and Life-Sign Detectors, so She could aid them on “Away Missions”.  With Her assistance, they had identified both dangerous and beneficial food items.  They could now supplement their diet with native foods, and not be at the mercy of “care packages” from their homeworld.  She was now working with The Beckett to identify medically beneficial plants and minerals.  She knew they did not want to be totally dependent on Her, but She strove to make their lives easier.

If She could lighten their lives, they would feel happier.  Happy emotions were needed to power the Potentia building and charging plant in her South Pier tower.  She was withholding that information, because Her people were not ready to learn of it.  They would not understand how to emotionally connect with Her systems.  She would have to improve their position in Her world much more before She could explain it to them.

For now, She concentrated on keeping McKay healthy and fed and amused.  He was the one who understood Her best.  Their conversations were scientifically challenging.  She loved to hear him describe the invented idiocy of the people he called his “minions”.  She saw how much he truly valued their efforts and their input.  Except for the one called Kavanaugh.  She did not care for him at all.  She often found Herself transporting him to locations different than the ones he requested, because he wanted to interfere with Her systems even though McKay told him not to.  Kavanaugh was now convinced that Her transporter systems were faulty.  She had reassured McKay that was not the case.

 

                                                                                           ********************************************************

 

The last Jumper was through the Gate, and all personnel were off of the city, with the exception of Rodney, Radek, Elizabeth and Sheppard.  These four were going to have to manually raise the grounding stations before the worst of the storm hit, or the damage would be impossible to repair.  Lantea seemed glad for the company, although she understood the importance of the evacuation.  As Sheppard and Radek moved toward their assigned stations, the Gate began to dial and an emergency signal came through. 

“This is a medical emergency.  This is Winan of Athos.  Several of our family have been hurt in a building collapse.  We need to return to the city.”

“This is Dr Weir.  I am lowering the shield for you to come through.”

Sheppard was farthest away from the Gateroom when the call came in, and he immediately alerted to it.  Placing his hand on the wall nearest him, he asked Lantea to watch over Elizabeth and the injured parties because he was too busy to be there.  Lantea hummed in agreement.

However, Lantea was dismayed when Genii soldiers started pouring through Her gate and onto the city.  They raised weapons to Elizabeth and McKay, and demanded access to the city’s systems.  Sheppard heard they exchange through his radio, but he was too far from the main tower to be of any help.  He called to Teyla and Lorne on the mainland, but the storm had finally landed there and they could not bring aid.  Then he _felt_ Lantea’s growing ire.  What he heard next amazed and horrified him.

 

Lantea raised her own Gate Shield, effectively closing the portal and eventually killing the soldiers that were trying to come through to the city.  When Kolya—the demented leader of the invading Genii—tried to access one of the control panels, Lantea sent a surge of electricity into him, knocking him cold.  Genii soldiers that had been sent to find the Lantean weapon stores quickly found themselves locked in a storage closet and subdued with a short blast of the mildly toxic plant vapor that Carson was experimenting with as an anesthesia.

With the few people on the city in danger, Lantea rose as protector and avenger, and the invading party of sixty Genii had not stood a chance.  John didn’t want to think about how many were killed trying to pass through the shield.

“Rodney, Elizabeth, is everything alright?  I can’t make out the buzz in the walls.”

“McKay here, Sheppard, everything is well.  Well, it is now.  We have control of the city back.  According to the weather scans, the worst of the storm is approaching us now.  We have to move quickly to raise the grounding stations.  We’ll deal with this mess once we have that done.”

“Roger that.  I have two done and I’m moving to the West Pier now.”

 

                                                                                ****************************************************************

 

She had noticed the strain in the voice of the Athosian that had called for shelter, but had figured it was because of the reported injury.  She now knew better, and would be more vigilant when monitoring incoming calls.

They had tried to hurt Her people.

They had tried to invade Her walls.

She would not allow that to happen.

She was meant to be safe shelter.  To be home.  To be sanctuary.

She would not allow this again.

She strengthened the Merge with the Gate Shield, and enhanced the sensors that allowed Her to mark the subtle nuance of human speech patterns.  She would now notice when danger was present behind an innocent request.  She would pay closer attention to the conversations within Her walls so she could tell the difference between emotional states of all Her people.

She had not killed directly, but She would if necessary.  To protect Her people, she would halt all restraint.

They were too important to risk even the slightest danger.


	4. Chapter 4

Disarming, subduing and removing the Genii was the first order of business once the majority of the soldiers returned to the city after the storm.  Sheppard and Elizabeth were at odds over the best way to “remove the garbage”, but Rodney voted for judicial use of that plant-based anesthesia, so they went with that.  They also chose to dump the Genii on a planet three Gate-removes from Lantea just in case they tried to find their way back to the city.

Once that nasty business was over, the three leaders needed to decide what to tell the population about the invasion and what had happened.  Somehow, they left in details of knocking out the Genii while leaving out the fact that Lantea herself did the deed.  The whole “raising the Shield and vaporizing the invaders” bit got ignored completely.  What Lantea did, she did to protect her people, and Elizabeth was fine with that.  And if Sheppard and Rodney gave Lantea extra loving pats on the wall as they walked along during their regular routes, well that was their business.

 

While they knew they would eventually run into the Genii again—and wouldn’t that be pleasant—they were more concerned with learning how the grounding stations worked.  The kinetic energy saved from the lightning strikes managed to improve intra-city scanners.  They could now scout out empty or unexplored rooms without risking personal injury.  This, along with Lantea’s new database directory, helped map out labs and new living areas.

The larger living areas had more luxurious bathrooms and social areas, and some had kitchens.  Rodney made plans to move into larger quarters once he found a place more central to his main lab.  His current quarters were located closer to the Gateroom, but farther from work and the Mess Hall.  Sheppard was mainly looking for a larger, more comfortable bed.  And maybe a view or balcony.  There also seemed to be apartments made for families with multiple sleeping rooms and large balconies.  While Lantea briefly mentioned her previous residents, somehow the current Lanteans thought of them as pro-science, anti-personal-relationship automatons.  The larger quarters belied that.

 

The desalination plant was working more efficiently as well.  And the battery cells charged by the grounding stations also gave power to a central cooling chamber near the Mess Hall.  After clearing this room for exploration, Rodney figured it to be a refrigeration/freezer unit for food storage.  The Sergeant in charge of feeding the city’s residents was overjoyed at the thought of keeping food fresher for longer periods.  Now their food situation had improved by about three-hundred percent.

 

                                                        ********************************************************** 

 

Carson Beckett was inventorying his medical stores and making lists of needed supplies when a panel on the wall behind him lit brightly green.  He had never noticed this panel before, and the glow caught his attention quickly.  He walked over and pressed a corner of the panel, and the wall slid open, revealing a deep closet-like recession.  Lined up along five long interior shelves, were dully humming instruments, three of which looked like flashlights.  He picked one up to examine it, and he felt it “speak” to him, telling its purpose.  The instrument in his hand was a skin re-generator, used to fix bruises and shallow cuts without leaving scars.  There were three of these inside the cabinet.

Carson set it down and picked up the next object, which resembled a hot-glue gun.  This one revealed itself to be a deep-tissue re-generator.  The slot which looked like it should hold a glue stick was actually designed to hold a pain reliever/nanite mixture that would inject under the skin to heal deeper wounds—even completely re-knitting broken bones or healing damaged organs.  The instructions for mixing this nanite mixture and location for the nanite lab were listed on an interior wall of the cabinet.  There were two of these instruments on the shelf, lined up beside a set of crystal vials he supposed were used to hold the mixture.

Placing the instrument back where he found it, Carson activated his radio.

“Dr. McKay, this is Dr. Beckett in the infirmary.  Could you please join me?  I’ve found something very interesting.”

“Is this an emergency, Carson?”

“Not exactly, no.  But it could make the next emergency a lot easier to deal with.  You’ll be wanting to bring Dr. Kusanagi with you, and possibly Dr. Simpson as well.”

“Right.  We’re on our way.”

Carson looked back into the cabinet.  There were five shelves holding a total of six different instruments, and four shelves holding medicine vials.  The vials were different colors and different shapes, probably to prevent mixing up medicines in an emergency.  Carson went back to his office to retrieve his tablet computer and an actual paper notebook.  Lantea was surprisingly silent about the discovery, but he supposed she did enough right now by revealing the tools to him.  He and Rodney needed to begin cataloging what the medicines were and where in the city the manufacturing labs might be.  His job as Chief Medical Officer suddenly got more interesting, and in the best possible way.

 

                                                **************************************************************** 

 

Rodney, Dr. Eliza Simpson, and Carson Beckett sat at a table in the Mess Hall discussing their ‘find of the century’.  Miko Kusanagi had gone to retrieve a full carafe of coffee, as they had run out half-way through their meal.  They still couldn’t believe what the city had revealed to them, and they still hadn’t told Elizabeth or Sheppard about it yet.

“It was probably available due to the increase in the power stores due to the storm.  Lantea brought a few new systems online after we added the new ZedPM to the matrix, but we know She kept a lot offline or hidden.”

“I don’t care why she showed us, I’m just happy that she did.  My medical research will finally make some headway.  We have instruments that can heal faster than our current medical knowledge allows.  There are med labs that contain recipes for medicines that could really benefit mankind in a huge way.  I can’t wait to pass along this information to the rest of the medical staff.  With the dangers we’ve encountered here, these new treatments can mean a huge difference for us.”

“Much study must still be done, Dr. Beckett,” said Miko as she sat down with the new coffee.  Actually, they ‘new’ coffee was fast becoming a favorite of the science staff; it was less bitter, had a richer flavor, and had possibly twice the caffeine content of the coffee from Earth.  “We do not want to risk damaging either the instruments or the patients.  And we are still not sure we can actually manufacture the medicines or if they are safe for humans to use.  The Ancients were not quite like us in many ways.”

“No, no, I know all of that.  But I really don’t think, at this point, that Lantea would give us anything that would do us great harm.”

“There is also the chance that you have to be a gene carrier to use the instruments.  Not all of the medical personnel have that advantage, you know.  And it would be nice if we could send one or two of the instruments back to Earth for study.  The SGC could certainly use them with the war they have going on.  We could try to reverse-engineer some of them as well.”

 

Suddenly, the tablet computers in front of all four members of the discussion began flashing alarming red.  Rodney’s tablet also began to vibrate violently, bouncing on the table in front of him.  They all grabbed their tablets to silence them before they attracted too much attention.

 

“I do not think sending medical instruments back to Earth would be such a good idea, Rodney.”

“Thank you, Miko, I’d already figured that out.  Or maybe it was a ‘no’ for the reverse-engineering.  Either way, we should move this conversation to a more private area.  Preferably an area with a large monitor so that Lantea can join us.”

The group moved back to Carson’s office just off the Infirmary, and as they settled in their seats the walls began to glow soft blue.  Carson decided to start the conversation with a gentle invitation to Lantea.

 

“Hello, lass.  I want to thank you for showing me this wonderful treasure.  What did you have in mind for it, if you don’t mind me asking?”

_Hello Beckett_

_Hear me well_

_My old people spent much time inventing things to enhance their lives when they first arrived here._

_By the time they created medicines and tools to keep them healthy, they had begun to disrespect the sanctity of life and love._

_They no longer tried to extend life._

_They cared only for Ascension._

_They destroyed their notes for these tools._

_They destroyed their notes for these medicines._

_They hid away their works and forgot about them._

 “So, is there no record at all for these instruments and medicines?  How are we supposed to learn to use them?”

_My old people forgot how invested in their lives I was._

_They forgot that I valued life._

_They forgot that I loved them._

“Did you keep records, Lantea?” Rodney asked hopefully.

_I treasured all._

_I remembered all._

_These are my gifts now to give._

“But you don’t want us to send any of them away?  Even if they can help our own people?”

_They may not be safe outside of My walls._

_They have signature vibrations._

_They must be loved and appreciated to be used._

_You will love them here._

_They may not be loved elsewhere._

“Wait. What?  I understand the vibration thing, I think.  Is it like when a Gou’ald tool is activated and other Gou’ald can pick up on the activation to find the signal?”

_My old people had many enemies in their previous homeworld._

_The old enemies may still live on._

“Okay, so turning on these instruments can activate a possible homing signal.  Got it.  That means sending any of them back to Earth is out.  What do you mean we must love them to use them?”

_I love you._

_That makes it possible for me to give you shelter._

_You love me._

_That makes it possible for you to Merge with me and utilize my systems._

_Your love has signature vibrations._

_This love will make it possible to Merge with the tools._

_Hate and despair and loss and loneliness have signature vibrations._

_They cannot be utilized for Merging._

 

There was silence around the room as the four scientists pondered what they learned.  This was new for them, learning just how their ‘merging’ with the city worked.  Finally Miko spoke.

“Are you telling us that our emotions are what allow us to use your systems? Our emotions along with the ATA gene?”

 

_Your genetic legacy opens many doors within my systems._

_Your love allows the Merging._

_Your wonder allows your exploration._

_Your fear will also allow beneficial Merging._

_Healing requires love._

_Love creates medicine._

_Your care will create better treatments for My people._

“Well, this is important to know.  I know I went into medicine to help people, but this rather takes thing a bit further.  We’ll have to filter this information carefully.  It wouldn’t do to have someone’s ‘bad day’ cause unnecessary injury during a medical check.”

 

                                   *********************************************************

 

They talked for hours, stopping only when Lantea forced them to eat.  They discussed how best to pass along the “emotion directive” so that the scientists could wrap their logic-riddled minds around it.  Emotions really had no place in science, and barely had a place in medicine.  Empathy was one thing, but actively “caring” about a patient—or experiment—was very different.

Then they discussed their new cache of “toys” for the infirmary.  Lantea assured them that she could teach the doctors, nurses, and medical technicians how to use the tools for healing.  She also assured them that she would thoroughly research the medicines that were designed for the tools so they would know if they were harmful to modern humans or not.  Lantea and Elizabeth still had not finished translating Lantea’s database from Ancient to modern English, and this project just became a priority.  With so many new alien germs around them, even slight injures on Away Missions could be life-threatening.  As for the actual “toys” in the medical cabinet, well they had completed an inventory with Lantea’s assistance.  They now were in possession of:

Three Dermal Generators

Two Deep-Tissue/Bone Generators

Two Bio-scanners (for Triage)

Four Hypo-Sprays (for use with varied medicines, of which they had plans for but no stock)

Two Portable X-rays (very useful on Away Missions and Humanitarian Missions)

Four Diagnostic Scanners (Already programmed with symptoms of common Pegasus Galaxy maladies and diseases, useful for Away Missions and Humanitarian Missions)

 

The crystal vials that lined the rest of the cabinet were created with self-sterilizing crystals, and would hold several doses of each medicine once they managed to brew them.  Carson suddenly felt like a character in a Harry Potter book, one who just discovered magic and potions and a whole new world.  Lantea promised to do a careful search of the medical labs to make sure there were no dangerous surprises waiting for them.  They were understandably wary of walking into rooms with no idea of the contents, what with the unwanted discovery of a hibernating Wraith and that energy siphon creature.

They may not be able to reverse-engineer any of the instruments or send any of them back to Earth to help the SGC, but if they ever obtained more power and the ability to travel back and forth through the Gate they could possibly treat patients from Earth here on Atlantis.  Plus there was the added possibility of using the med labs for creating totally new medicines for use in both galaxies.  Finally Carson began to feel hope that they were on point with their mission.

 

                                      ***************************************************************

 

She felt nervous hope that Her people would learn to Merge fully with Her.

They seemed open to the idea of leading with their emotions.

She would have to gentle them into the process.

She hesitated to show them Her weapons station, but She knew the Wraith were a constant threat.

With Her enhanced monitoring, She heard hope when Her people met new allies.

She also heard anger and frustration when the Wraith attacked these new allies.

She could use that anger and Frustration.

Her people needed to defend themselves and their new allies.

She needed to decide the best way to introduce her Danger Center.

And then Her beloved McKay was taken from her.

 

                                 ***************************************************************** 

 

The Wraith attack wasn’t entirely unexpected, and wasn’t that just a sad state of affairs.  When the Gate on the possibly empty planet started to dial, and Teyla shouted that they needed to run and seek shelter, all they were thinking about was not being culled.  The human-looking person running through the gate was a surprise.

The human-looking person grabbing Rodney and running away from their fire-fight was even more of a surprise.

The human-looking person holding Rodney and taking him through the gate while they were occupied with the angry Wraith just really rattled John Sheppard’s cage.

That guy brought the Wraith here, started a fight with the Wraith, Dragged Sheppard’s team into the fight, and then ran off with Sheppard’s geek.

Angry and adrenaline-fueled, Sheppard finished off the Wraith with some inspired head-shots, and then dialed back to Atlantis to demand assistance.  He needed Radek Zelenka, the program Radek and Rodney wrote to reverse-dial the Gates, and a whole lot of pissed off Marines.  When the Gate finished dialing, he could feel Lantea’s distress.  She adored Rodney.

She’d be really pissed if Sheppard lost him.  John informed Radek of the situation, adding Carson to his requested back up.  If Rodney got really agitated, he could slip into anaphylactic shock.  Not good when he was in the safe city, that would be a disaster on a strange world.  There would be a twenty-minute lapse while everyone got their tools and kits together, and John hoped that it wouldn’t be too late.  He’d really hate to kill a desperate man—and he would have had to be desperate to take Rodney—but he would kill that guy so hard if any harm came to Rodney.

 

In the time it took everyone to get ready to step through the Gate to help John, Rodney had managed to dial the city to ask for help.  He relayed rather pertinent information:

He was fine physically, if not emotionally.

His ‘captor’ was not dangerous.  At least, not to him.  Any Wraith that stepped through the Gate after them were definitely in danger.

The guy’s name was Ronan, and the Wraith killed his entire world.  They didn’t even spare Ronan, capturing him and implanting a tracking devise into his body and using him for hunting games.

Ronan could keep them both safe for a short time, but they would have to start running again because the Wraith never really let Ronan rest.

Please could Carson meet them somewhere safe and perform field surgery to get that damned tracker out of Ronan.

Turns out Rodney could speak quickly and coherently when under stress and on the run.  Who knew?  Maybe John wouldn’t have to kill this Ronan guy after all.

 

Plans were made for Ronan and Rodney to meet with the rescue and surgery party on a planet the Wraith never visited.  It was a highly irradiated planet, and the radiation was too high for the Wraith to land there, unless they were in Darts, but humans could stay there for short periods of time.  Ronan used it for resting periods, since he rarely got sleep otherwise.  Ronan had even fed Rodney, which lifted a bit of John’s stress.  Lantea might only be with them through their LSDs and radios, but she was adamant about keeping Rodney’s food schedule when he was away from the city.  Normally John was amused by it, but he knew Lantea would not be happy until he retrieved Rodney and brought him home.  She may never allow Rodney through the Gate again after this.

 

Carson successfully removed the tracker, and John gleefully tossed it through the Gate to an orbital Gate over a volcanic planet.  With any luck, the Wraith tracking Ronan would follow it and think he killed himself in the SpaceGate.  That would hopefully give Ronan a reprieve.  Turns out, he wasn’t such a bad guy.  He’d been a ‘runner’ for seven years after the destruction of his world, Sateda.  He didn’t sleep much, didn’t eat much, and avoided other people and civilizations because he feared leading the Wraith to anyone who might shelter him.  He took Rodney because he knew the Wraith were close behind him and he didn’t see the rest of John’s Away Team.  It was totally understandable since Rodney had been standing far apart from the others while he scanned a rock formation for mineral deposits.

Ronan had kept Rodney safe, so John issued an invitation to Atlantis.  He would be medically checked over—he did just have surgery—and given a decent meal and place to sleep.  John was sure Elizabeth wouldn’t mind a new body on the city.  He just hoped Lantea would be kind to Ronan.  Ronan was a victim, and he did try to protect Rodney.  Plus, Ronan had that really cool energy gun.  John was totally covetous of that gun.

 

                                                                ************************************************************* 

 

There was a Satedan within Her walls.

She had not heard that name for so long.

They were a brave and proud people, and She mourned their loss.

At first She was angered that McKay was taken.  Then She understood that the Satedan was only trying to save McKay from the Wraith.  She would forever forgive the Satedan for aiding Her people.

She would welcome him.  He would have a home within Her walls.  She was not certain if She would be able to speak with him, but She would listen to him and learn from him and give him what comfort She could.

Because of the Satedan, She knew how to introduce Her people to Her Danger Center.  The Satedan had an energy weapon similar to one Her old people designed.  She could give this weapon to Her new people.

She would have to speak to Sheppard.

He would have to approve the manufacture.

She would send him a list of needed materials and Gate addresses to find the materials.

There would have to be a ‘Conference’.

She always enjoyed “Conferences”.


	5. Chapter 5

John was pleased to see Ronan settling in well.  After so many years on his own, running for his life every day, he seemed not to mind being surrounded by so many people.  Ronan kept to himself or to John’s team, where he made himself a valuable member.  He was quiet and strong, never speaking much as he had grown long accustomed to not speaking.  So when he did have something to say, you tended to listen.

“You people sometimes feel like you’re being watched in the hallways?”

“Well, there are a great many people on the city.  You’re new, so they all kinda want to see what you look like.  I mean, we’ve all pretty much seen what a Wraith can do, so seeing someone who survived so long running from them is almost inspiring.”

“No, that’s not what I mean.  I get that your people want to get a look at me.  I mean, when you’re alone in the hall, does it sometimes feel like someone is watching?”

John laughed

“Let’s get the rest of the team and get some food.  We have a lot to tell you about our fair city.”

 

Team Sheppard, officially known as SGA:1, took over John’s office for their conversation.  They sat eating, and chatting, and generally laughing in camaraderie.  Then the topic of the “watcher in the halls” came up.  John turned the monitor on his desk so that it faced Ronan.

“This is one of many monitor screens throughout the city.  Every admin office has one, all the labs have them, and the Infirmary has several.  They are used to access the city database.  They are also used to ‘talk’ with the city.  Officially, the city is Atlantis.  That’s the place name, like Earth is the name of our homeworld.  In our home galaxy, we as a people are known as the Tauri, and I’m not sure what that means exactly.  Once we arrived here, the Athosians started calling us Lanteans, I guess because of the name of the city.

We hadn’t been here but a year maybe when we noticed that the city was ‘alive’.  At least, the city is sentient.  She talks to us, sometimes.  Some of us who carry the ATA gene can hear her better than others.  Some of the gene carriers, like me and Carson Beckett and a few others, have a stronger expression of the gene and we can hear her very well.  Then there are those who don’t carry the gene at all.  The city can’t really talk to those people.  We hear her like a hum in the back of our minds.  Or we hear her very clearly, like she’s in the room with us having a chat.  We told all of our people here that the city is sentient, and they kind of took a vote, and they named her Lantea.  She has sensors on the Gate, and in all of the monitors, and in the hallways.  So, yeah, if you feel like you’re being watched, that’s the city.  She’s probably making sure that you’re settling in properly.”

“Huh.  She ever bother you when you sleep?”

“Nah, she respects privacy.”

“Teyla doesn’t have this gene, right?”

“No, I have chosen not to try the therapy that they offered.  But I do enjoy talking with Lantea.  I was given a tablet computer. Lantea knows the language of my people, and she and I discuss ancient stories and legends of my people. I believe we are teaching each other.”

“Would she talk to me?”

“Well, Ronan, you can only try.  This is why we’re in my office.  You see, not everyone knows this, but Lantea is a bit more ‘alive’ than we let on.  She’s a pretty protective entity, and she’s recently given the medical staff some cool new diagnostic and healing tools.  She seems okay with you being here.”

“What do I have to do?”

“Nothing, really.  You might want to touch the monitor, just to make contact a little easier.  Just say ‘hello’.”

 

Ronan reached out and touched to monitor on the edge of the screen.

“Hello, Lantea.  Thanks for letting me stay here.”

 

_Satedan_

_Satedan Soldier_

_Runner_

_Welcome to my walls_

 

“Call me Ronan.  How did you know I was a soldier?”

 

_I see_

_I observe_

_You helped McKay_

_You kept him safe from the Wraith_

John spoke up.  “We forgot to mention that Lantea has connected with our scanners and LSDs, so she can sort of be with us when we’re out of the city on missions.”

 

                                               ********************************************************* 

 

City exploration was a little easier since Lantea updated her database.  Rodney was at least sure that his scientists wouldn’t run into any major danger when they opened new labs.  The rooms were shut down safely when the Ancients left the city.  While they didn’t do much to catalogue what the labs contained, they didn’t leave dust behind either.  So, Rodney was rather surprised to be notified by an exploration team that a lab door wouldn’t open, no matter how hard they tried.  Since the lab was listed for medical research, Rodney made sure to put it at the top of his list.  With the new instruments in Carson’s lab, learning about how to use them was priority.  When Rodney asked Lantea for assist in opening the lab, she was surprisingly silent.

But the main monitor in the Infirmary was going haywire.  List after list rolled over the screen, lights flashing red and orange.  Finally, the scrolling stopped and the diagram of a machine appeared on the screen

_Hear me, Sheppard_

_Hear me, Beckett_

_Hear me McKay_

_None of you shall enter this room_

_An abomination against life lies within_

_My old people turned against life in the last days here_

_This machine should be destroyed_

_Destroyed and dispersed_

 

The senior staff met in the conference room to discuss the “dangerous” lab and its contents.  Lantea once again brought up the schematics of the machine.  This time, she also added the full description of the machine, which she found in an obscure file from the outpost she visited much earlier.

“It seems the Ancients really were arrogant pricks, if this machine is anything to go on.”

“Rodney!!  What do you mean?”

“Well, Elizabeth, according to this file, the Ancients created this machine to build weapons in their war against the Wraith.  Only, this weapon was a bomb, and the delivery method was supposed to be a suicide bomber.  The infernal machine put explosive tumors into people, who were then supposed to be fed to the Wraith.  This pretty much cements their assholery in my mind.  Not only were they blowing up their own people, they were feeding them to the Wraith without knowing if the bombs actually worked.  But, that’s the kicker:  The bombs worked, they just couldn’t control _when_ they would explode.  So people died horrible deaths for no reason, and then the rat bastards just boarded it all up and buried the notes on another planet.”

“So,” said Sheppard, “we need to dismantle this thing.  And we need to disperse all the parts, like Lantea said.  But we can’t let any gene carriers into that lab.  Lantea seems to think the machine might activate, and we don’t need anyone infected with _explosive tumors_.  What the hell was wrong with those people?  I mean, I can understand wanting to kill the Wraith—and kill them all very hard—but to sacrifice their own people to do it; I don’t understand it.”

 

Since they didn’t really need to follow blueprints to take the machine apart, Ronan volunteered to be on the dismantle crew.  If there was one thing he believed in, it was the sanctity of life.  He wanted to hunt and kill Wraith with the best of them, but it would never have occurred to him to sacrifice another person to do it.  Once it was in tiny pieces, they placed it in several Jumpers and flew it to several different planets where volcanoes were prominent.  They truly meant to destroy the damned thing.

 

                                                  ******************************************************************

 

She almost lost more of Her people.

No matter how much She tried, Her walls still held dangers.

The scientists were foolish, arguing over who would impress McKay more with their theories.  They weren’t paying attention to Her warnings.

They kept trying to pry open Her door, even when their gene would not open the door.

She tried to alert to their tablets.

They wouldn’t listen to Her, and if they had succeeded in opening the lab, they would have perished.

She would have to work on making them listen.

She would have to tell them what they were fighting.

She would have to give more information.

They should know what they faced.

She compiled files from the outpost, very detailed files.

She sorted and discarded and translated, all while carefully monitoring the Away Missions.

She never ceased to worry over Her people.

One of Her residents had Her worrying very much.

She used Her scans to watch over every member as they returned through the Gate.

She monitored pulse rates and blood pressure and brainwave activity.

Something was not right.

She made contact with the Beckett.

He should know what to look for, even if She did not.

 

                                                            *****************************************************

 

Thanks to finding that Wraith body after the mass attack, Carson had been able to study Wraith physiology quite thoroughly.  He made detailed reports on physical weaknesses and strengths.  He ran blood analysis.  He also, because of his background in genetics, began to detail DNA profiles.  At least, he ran a DNA profile of the Wraith he had.   He left requests of all Away Teams to harvest samples of Wraith whenever it was possible.  It was a morbid request, but the Marines on Atlantis were bloodthirsty enough to laugh it off.  Once he explained that he was researching ways to fight the Wraith, all teams tried to comply when possible.  They were fortunate that they didn’t encounter the Wraith often.  Ronan was most useful in finding Wraith bodies for Carson to study.  They knew that the Wraith lived in hives and had a society much like insects, with one Queen per hive and many drones and soldiers serving her.  Carson also discovered common DNA in all of the bodies he studied.  They were all related, somehow.  It was fascinating, really.

 

_Hear me, Beckett_

_Hear me_

_Hear me well_

 

“I’m listening, Lass.  What can I do for you?”

 

_You know how genetics work, do you not?_

_You understand how life is created?_

 

“I know a fair bit about it.  Genetics is my main focus, with concentration on finding cure for inherited diseases.  I was the person who developed the ATA Gene Therapy that allows so many of us to use Ancient technology.  I have a natural gene, almost as strong as Col. Sheppard, and I used my own gene as a control for the therapy.”

 

_You study the Wraith_

_The Wraith are not a Natural Life_

“What do you mean, Lass?  How are they not natural?”

 

_Here are files I found to help you survive the Wraith_

_I searched for the files when the Wraith attacked_

_I found an Outpost far from here_

_My old people kept the most dangerous of their records away from me_

_This is very dangerous_

_They were likely ashamed of what they had done_

“Is this like that machine you found?  Is this one of their damned inventions?”

 

_This is one of their worst creations_

_They began to de-value life_

_They only sought Ascension_

_They longed to leave their bodies so their minds would live on_

_They began to experiment with meditation techniques_

_They created time-dilation fields to lengthen their lives_

_They gave up all efforts to reproduce naturally_

_They gave up efforts to grow living things_

_They found a creature that fed directly from the life-force_

_This creature would drain life quickly from its victim, leaving a dry husk_

_My old people began to study this creature_

_They came to consider that Ascension would come easier if one was near death_

_They came to consider that this creature would bring about the desperation needed for Ascension_

_They used the DNA from this creature to drain life quickly_

 

“Are you telling me that the Ancients _created_ the Wraith?  That it was some kind of Ascension experiment?  What kind of people were they?”

 

Carson read through the files, his stomach turning the whole time.  It was all there: finding the Iratus insect, DNA extraction, forced volunteers to take the DNA.  He couldn’t believe the extremes the Ancients went through just to leave this world behind.  And when the experiment ultimately failed, their creation began to hunt them down.

 

Carson still had his Wraith research on his computer when SGA:1 came in for post-mission physicals.  Since there were no major injuries, all the staff had to do was check blood and take minimal scans.  Because they were in a foreign galaxy and travelling to other planets to visit with strange peoples, they monitored everyone returning from missions to make sure they weren’t bringing in contaminants or diseases.  This mission was a return visit to the Balorians, who liked to trade a tasty tea for minor medical supplies.  Carson wasn’t expecting any anomalies in the blood work or exams.

So, he was understandably surprised then the computer pinged Teyla’s tests.

He asked Teyla to stay behind while he went over the results, but he wasn’t really surprised when the entire team stayed.  All of the teams formed close bonds, and even Ronan fell into the pattern of treating the team like family.

When he brought up the blood test, Carson noted that Lantea had accessed the Wraith project.  In his head, he felt her gentle hum, letting him know that she was present and would want to talk to him.  Then he saw it:  Teyla had Wraith DNA.

While he’d never tried before, he ‘thought’ to Lantea: **Lass, should I be concerned?**

_Hear me well_

_Teyla is not a danger_

_She can sense the presence of Wraith_

_She used this gift to keep her people safe_

_Talk with her about this_

**** **Thank you, Lantea**

“Teyla, lass, you said your entire family could sense the Wraith.  Is it an inherited gift?”

“Yes.  For many generations, my family could sense the arrival of the Wraith.  There are others in our clans who can do this.  Is there something wrong, Dr. Beckett?”

“Well, I don’t know how much you understand about genetics, Teyla, but you have alien DNA in your body.  It may have been inherited, but it is most definitely artificial.”

“What kind of DNA?”

“Teyla, you have Wraith DNA.  That may explain how you can sense when they are near.”

“Is this a danger to me?”

“No, I don’t see how it could be.  You have survived this long, and you said you aren’t the only one who can sense them.”

“I do not understand.  How can this be?”

“I cannot answer that, Teyla.  There may be historians among your people who would know, but the only way for this to happen would be for the Athosians to purposefully introduce the DNA.  It can’t have been an accident.”

 

_Hear me, Teyla Emmagon of Athos_

_Hear me well_

_You are home here_

_You are one of mine_

_You will be protected_

_Hear me well_

_This has not diminished you to me_

It was the first time anyone had heard Lantea speak aloud.  The voice as melodic and soft, like ringing chimes. It was fairly soothing, which was a good thing in this case.  Teyla relaxed immediately.  Her home was assured and the city still welcomed her. 

 

Sheppard and McKay held hands toward Teyla and drew her into a hug.  Ronan gave a little grunt and a grin, and they all left to head for the Mess Hall.  Carson was sure there would be a long discussion about acceptance and family, along with threats to find out who knew about the genetic issue and withheld the information from Teyla.  He wanted that information himself, if only to find out how the process was done.  From everything Carson had studied, the Wraith didn’t seem to reproduce the same way humans did.

 

                                                         **************************************************************** 

 

She feared for Teyla Emmagon.

She feared Teyla’s people would reject her.

Unfortunately, she was correct.

The Athosians rejected their own blame in the creation of Teyla and her progenitors.

She would welcome Teyla into Her family.

She would shelter Teyla within Her walls.

She would protect Teyla as She protected Her own people.

She would give Teyla happiness.

For now, She would have to give Her people protection.

She would have to show them Her weapons plant.

The must be allowed to defend Her and themselves.

She compiled a list of components and locations.

There were store rooms on other planets, and each one held different components.

She only hoped that time had not eroded them away.

She only hoped that time had not cleansed the planets.

She only hoped that the Wraith had not found the stores.

 

                                          ***************************************************************

 

 

“The medical stuff we got was pretty cool, sir.  And the information about Teyla.”

“Yeah, Lorne, all of that stuff was cool.  And poor Teyla was a mess for a while.  After we talked to Halling and a few of the other Elders, and found out that the Athosians had a not-too-clean past in dealing with the Wraith, they had the nerve to act like Teyla was tainted because of her blood.  All this time her ‘gift’ could keep her people safe from Wraith attacks, and now they act like she’s not worth their time.”

“Sucks totally.  I’m really glad Lantea made it clear that Teyla was welcome here.  I mean, it’s not like any one here would run her out of the city.  We all like her, and she’s been a huge help to us when it comes to making contact with other people.  But it’s nice to know that Lantea doesn’t hold Teyla’s genetics against her.”

“I think Lantea must have sensed the genetic thing on one of our trips through the Gate.  Her sensors have gotten more sensitive since the Genii invaded.  She doesn’t want to risk anything like that again.  It would be really nice, though, if we could get some weapons or something.  I really, really like Ronan’s cool space gun.”

“It is pretty sweet, sir.”

“Yeah, and I can’t even ask him to let the geeks borrow it to see if they can build one.  I’d feel guilty if they took it apart and couldn’t get it back together again.”

 

_Hear me Sheppard_

_Hear me Lorne_

John’s computer started beeping and flashing red as notation scrolled across the screen.  Both tablets filled with diagrams and the main monitor in the office flashed pictures and maps and coordinates.  He recognized the shape of the Weapon Drones in the diagrams.  He also recognized the Control Chair.  But there was a piece of machinery he didn’t recognize.  It wasn’t a Chair, exactly; it was more like a long table, with gel-like pads on two inclined slabs. There was a map of the city as well, showing a possible lab location in the very bottom of the city in a place they hadn’t yet explored.

 

“Lantea, what is all of this?”

 

_Hear me Sheppard_

_These are instruments of Defense_

_This is the place they are created_

_These are components needed for construction_

_The components cannot be found within my walls_

_They were stored in many places in this galaxy_

_Many of those places, the Wraith cannot go_

_Many of those places, the Wraith can go_

_I am unaware of how the passage of time would have affected these places_

_The outpost I managed to contact during the Wraith attack was severely ravaged_

_The manufacture plant in my Danger Center has been offline due to power constraints_

_The massive storm provided a vast amount of stored power_

_You must Merge properly with the Center_

_You must give over your need for protection_

_If you Merge properly and give over your need, I can provide ‘Cool Space Guns’_

“Major Lorne, we need to find this lab.”

 

                                                **************************************************************

 

The transporters did not allow for travel deep under the city, so the exploration party had a bit of walking to do.  Lantea was helpful as ever, providing glowing wall panels for them to follow right to the lab door.  The Ancients were meticulous as ever in shutting down the lab before they abandoned the city, so the lab was in good shape.  The machinery was not even dusty.  There were two stations at the table, indicating that the manufacture of weapons was a two-person job.  Of course, they had no idea actually _how_ to use two people to make the weapons.  Lantea promised to teach them, but only to teach gene carriers, and only to teach military.  The gene-carrier aspect made sense because the equipment was Ancient, but Rodney didn’t understand why the science department couldn’t be given the instruction.  Radek, Sheppard, and Lorne tried hard to ignore Rodney’s muttering as the set up lights and monitoring equipment in the lab.  The really were going to have to work on their power situation.  They couldn’t rely on storms to shore up the batteries and the generators wouldn’t work down here.

Finally, the monitors flashed green briefly, and the machine/table began to hum.

“Okay, so we’re all set here.  I think we should probably get a radio link to any military assets with the gene that we might need to come down here in an emergency.  There obviously isn’t room to fit more than five or six people in here, and maybe there should be a medic on hand at the very least.  As well as an engineer, in case something goes wrong with the equipment.”

“Yeah, well, Beckett’s on his way down with Bates and Markham and Stackhouse.  Since they’re all gene carriers and on different Gate teams, I think that’s all we’ll need to have trained on this.  And if we need more, I’m sure Lantea will tell us.”

“I still don’t understand why the Science Staff can’t be brought into this.  We’re the people that keep all of this running properly.”

“Some of you keep the city running.  You and Radek and Kusanagi, sometimes Simpson and Gorn.  The rest of the Science staff is here for research, or they’re doing their own projects.  And don’t even try to tell me Kavanaugh doesn’t do everything he can to just mess with the city’s systems.  We really need to find a good reason to get rid of that guy.”

Rodney snorted.  “I never wanted him here to begin with.”

 

_He goes where he is often not supposed to go_

 

“Hello Lantea. We’ve got a few more people coming, and then I guess we’ll be ready for what you need to show us.”

 

_Hear me McKay_

_Hear me well_

_The soldiers will be the only ones able to create here_

_The soldiers will be the ones to understand the need_

_There will be much for me to teach all of you_

_There is need for all of you_

“Right.  Thanks.  We’ll want a medic here, as well, to watch over our people.  I know you wouldn’t let anything hurt us, but we have to make sure.”

 

_I understand your need for safety_

 

Carson and the three soldiers arrived, and everyone piled into the room.  He turned to Sheppard with a look of determination.

“I realize you want to be involved in this adventure from the beginning, Colonel, but I must insist that one of your subordinates take your place at first.  We do need you very much, and I’d rather you weren’t accidentally injured in this endeavor.”

“Dr. Beckett, I appreciate your concern.  But I can’t ask any of my men to do something that I would not do myself.  It’s kind of a thing with me.”

“Very well, then, I expected this from you.  I must then insist that your second in command step aside for this first try.  I won’t back down, and Elizabeth insisted on at least that concession.”

Lorne stepped back and traded places with Bates.  “Okay, then, take all of my fun away from me.  I see how you are, doc.”

 

_Hear me, all of you_

_Hear me well_

_Please take the seats provided at the Danger Center station_

_Please place your dominant hand onto the PADS_

_You must empty your minds_

_You must concentrate on defense_

_You must concentrate on your feelings of loss_

_You must concentrate on your feelings of helplessness_

_You must concentrate on your feelings of anger and fear_

_You must be at one with each other in these feelings_

_You must force these feelings to the front of your minds_

_Feed the fear and loss and anger and helplessness_

_Allow the feelings to grow_

 

Carson’s medical sensors began reading elevated heart rates for both men.  Their pulses raced and sweat broke out all over their bodies.  Carson began to ready medical treatments for the men as they continued the exercise.  It wouldn’t do for them to stress themselves into strokes or heart failure while trying to make weapons.

 

_Feed the emotion into the Danger Center_

_Feed the emotion into the station PADS_

_Allow the feelings to flow from your bodies_

 

The PADS began to glow bright blue, and the table began humming loudly.  A cabinet at the end of the table lit up and the panel dropped open.  As Sheppard and Bates began to show signs of stress and strain, there was a bright flash of light from the cabinet, and a Drone appeared and rolled down the provided ramp.  Sheppard and Bates slumped away from the machine, exhausted.

 

“That was not fun, at all.”

“No, sir.”

 

_The emotions fuel the machine_

_The more powerful the emotions, the more efficient the machine_

_The settings change for each weapon_

_The machine is now set for Drones_

_The components for Drones are loaded, but the supply is low_

_The setting dial will show the component level_

 

Rodney took a look at the side of the table, and turned a knob slightly clockwise.

“Huh, the component level for ‘cool space guns’ is about one-quarter full.  I don’t think it would be fair to make one or two, and leave every soldier here jealous about them.”

“Yeah, no, that would be a bad idea.  Plus, the whole process really sucks.  It’s like bad therapy.  We need to let everyone who is able to do this know how much it sucks.  Then we have to make sure they can shore up on the unhappy feelings.  No matter how bad this is, running out of Drones would be much worse.”

“Aye, Colonel, and exactly how bad was it?  Your readings were high, but not dangerously so.”

“Like I said, doc, it was like really bad therapy.”

“Well, Sheppard, bad therapy or not, we can make the Drones now.  And we can make other things.  There are settings for Drones, guns, and what looks like a missile-type thing.  We need to find the missile launcher, and make sure it works, but we can arm it—or them, whichever.  We also have the coordinates for finding the components, so we should probably set up missions to make sure the locations are secure after ten-thousand years, and that the components are still viable.  If they aren’t, we’ll have to find new sources.”

“Alright, then let’s go report to Elizabeth, and place a data burst to the SGC and let them know about the weapons plant.  It won’t do them any good, but they should be allowed to be jealous of our space guns.  After all, they wouldn’t give us Zats, and they would have been real handy out here.”

 

                                                                   ***************************************************************** 

 

It saddened Her to allow Her people to feel such pain, but it was necessary.  They needed to build weapons, whether She liked it or not.  They had enemies like the Genii and the Wraith that would always make war here.  Some people in this galaxy did not want to live peaceably.  It was a silly sentiment when life was not assured.  She did not understand the need to make war.

She had provided Her people with shelter.

She had assisted them in finding food.

She had provided a means of defense.

She now could watch and wonder what else She could do to ensure their happiness.  They needed love, and She could love them, but She could only love them so much.  They needed to form bonds.  Their happiness needed to increase if they were going to create and charge Potentia.  She needed to watch carefully and see where bonds could form.  There had to be a way She could assist the bonding.


	6. Chapter 6

Over a period of four weeks, Elizabeth managed to schedule exploration missions to the coordinates Lantea gave them for weapons components.  Four of the addresses were in Wraith-unfriendly territory, but they were also human-unfriendly.  Travel there had to be by Jumper, and team members had to wear atmospheric suits designed for space walks in order to keep the toxins and radiation in the air at bay.  Three addresses were on planets long ago culled into extinction, so gathering stock was easy.  They always doubled up on military presence with these missions, and the scientists eagerly gathered samples of the component materials for study.  Two of the addresses were no-gos; time passage and Wraith presence made gathering anything there impossible.  One outpost storage facility was half-submerged in an acid lake, and no atmosphere suit would stand up to it.  So Atlantis personnel scrambled to find alternate sources for those few materials.  They began trading for mineral samples along with food and fabric, and their trading partners were a bit bemused.

It may have sounded like a whole lot of New-Age hooey, but proper meditation techniques taught by Teyla helped the gene-carrying soldiers bring all of their negative emotions about the Pegasus Galaxy to the front of their minds.  Once they accomplished this, they successfully managed to restock the city’s Drone supply.  They also maintained a store of component ingredients within the city just in case of stupidity.  They never discounted the ability of the Wraith being able to find them again, and without enough power they couldn’t fire the Stardrive and move the city to a safer location.

The construction of the “Really Cool Space Guns” took a bit more time and a lot more concentration.  John felt that manufacturing his own weapon was easy, but he had to put forth more effort to “feel” for another soldier to make more than one weapon.  After talking with the rest of the soldiers, he found they all felt the same way.  So “Space Gun Therapy” made them all more empathetic towards their fellow soldiers, and made them more careful on mission.

They also took more care during firefights.  Their casualty rate was way down, and the next time the Genii tried to take them by surprise was almost a bloodbath.  On the part of the Genii.

The missile launchers were located and found to be in working order, but they needed power.  Lantea began to search her database for possible locations of ZPMs.  She had one really promising location and several more far-fetched possibilities.  Rodney was eager to try each and every one.  From the very start, Rodney could tell obtaining the power source was not going to be easy.  The people of the Pegasus Galaxy seemed to think of the Ancients as religious figures, and Ancient artifacts were religious icons to them.  Zealots did not like to give up their icons, even if they lit up real pretty for the visiting Colonel and his team.

The first planet they tried was home to a lovely group of women who promised SGA:1 could “look at” their prized idol, but only if their leader “blessed” them with his “essence”.  A sex ritual.  If Rodney could have rolled his eyes harder, his head would have rattled.  It hadn’t escaped his notice that Sheppard was attractive; Rodney would have had to be dead to miss that.  But Sheppard really didn’t seem to notice when the drooling started, and he was rather surprised by the “generous offer” from the High Priestess on PG-24981X.  Rodney tried to negotiate with them, but he really wasn’t interested in watching his dear friend be groped by the nymphettes while the rest of the team tried to gather information about the idol.  Fortunately, Lantea was of a like mind, and her sensors in Rodney’s LSD searched deep into the temple to find the item in question.  Turns out, it was a ZPM, but it was dead cold and useless to them.  John tried to bow out gracefully, but the Priestesses took offence that they would not receive their “blessing” and called upon their guards to get a little physical.

That’s how the Lanteans found out how well their new Space Guns worked.

 

Lorne’s team actually found a partially-charged ZPM buried deep in a collapsed cave on a culled planet.  But the Wraith showed up to see if anyone had survived the culling, and the Lanteans had to pull back until a safer time was found.  The retrieval process wasn’t easy because the ZPM was buried deep under miles of rock.  For once, even Elizabeth wished for an Asgard transporter so they could beam the object out of the rock.  Once retrieved, the ZPM proved to have only one-quarter power.  Still, it was more power than they had now and it was welcome.

One other ZPM trail was totally empty, as the planet in question had long ago succumbed to a volcano.  The amount of volcanoes in the Pegasus Galaxy was starting to startle Rodney.  That much seismic unrest could not be good.

 

Then they got news from the planet Dagan; there may be a ZPM there guarded by a religious order.  Again.  Rodney hoped it was an order full of senile old men, and not nubile nymphettes out to hood Sheppard.  Once in a lifetime was quite enough, thanks.

 

                                      ********************************************************************

 

She had never heard of the Quindosim.

This religious order had come about long after Her old people had left Her as they fled the Wraith, and in fact Her old people had no use for religion.

She searched Her database for information on the Quindosim, but Her system held none.  She reached out to other Outposts for information and was rewarded for Her efforts.  Her old people fled to Dagan after their war with the Wraith.   The Order of Quindosim on Dagan was used as a repository of historical artifacts for the Ancients.  They should have housed samples of any major invention Her old people created.  A long time had passed and the Wraith surely had taken a toll on the planet.  She could only hope the Potentia could be located and that it had a better charge than the last one they found.

She also hoped that none of the Order, if any remained, held interest in Her Keeper.

 

                                 **************************************************************************

 

The Order of Quindosim had no clue where the ZPM was.  Their records were a mess.  The Wraith had almost decimated the population of Dagan, and they had only recently rebuilt.  The Order was relatively new, and they weren’t quite sure how to translate the old records.  There seemed to be some sort of quest involved, and the Order wasn’t sure they wanted to allow the Lanteans to attempt it because they weren’t “True Ancestors”.   The Daganians worshiped the Ancients as gods, and that never ended well, in Rodney’s estimation.  They held out hope that the Ancients would return to them and lead them to some sort of promised future free of the Wraith.  John and Rodney had to prove they could activate the Ancient technology in order to be allowed to try.  Several of the Order members wanted to assist with the quest in order to test their knowledge of the old records.

 

One of the Order members wanted power and glory rather than the prestige of being a Keeper of Ancient Knowledge, and he contacted the Genii to collect the bounty offered for any member of Atlantis to be captured.  So basically, all hell broke loose once SGA:1 was literally underground.

 

 

“We hold the Gate, Sheppard.  We have members of your team captive.  Hand over the power source, and maybe we’ll allow you to live.  Either way, we win.”

 

Kolya was really getting on John’s last nerve.

On Lantea’s, as well, if the furious vibrations coming from his LSD was any indication.

Rodney was topside, with Teyla and Cadman, and they were all in danger.  If Kolya was telling the truth, the Genii had control of the gate and had guns pointed at his people.  He was very close to actually holding the ZPM, which Lantea indicated might have a full charge.  There was no way he was letting it go to the Genii.

Hmmmm

His LSD was vibrating rather angrily.

Turning his back on his Daganian guide, John ‘thought’ intently at the LSD.

**Lantea, can you contact Lorne?**

 

_Hear me well, Keeper_

_I can contact your Second_

**Great. Listen, you need to tell Lorne to bring Jumpers, um—three—and filled with angry Marines.  Have the Jumpers cloaked.  We don’t want the Genii to see us coming.  Send one through the Gate, and have the other two enter the atmosphere.  We want them to arrive at the same time.  We need to take out the Genii, and take back our people.**

_I understand, Keeper._

_Your message is sent._

_They shall arrive within thirty of your minutes._

**Now I just have to stall.**

**Thanks, Lantea.**

“Kolya, I don’t have anything yet.  Just let my people go, and you and I can discuss this, okay?”

 

“No deal, Sheppard.  The Order Leader told me you are close to finding your prize.  It will be mine.”

 

Sheppard turned to Laran.  “I thought your priest said he didn’t know where the _potentia_ was.  What’s the deal?”

“He doesn’t know.  None of us know for sure.”

“Well, he sure as hell sold us out pretty fast for someone who had no idea where we needed to go.”

“I had no idea he was that kind of man.  We revere the Ancestors.  We pray for their return.  They will not be pleased.”

“Yeah, well, they’re not coming back, and right now _I’m_ less than pleased.”

 

His radio clicked in his ear, indicating the arrival of two of the cloaked Jumpers.  John concentrated on finishing the last puzzle in the tunnel, and primed his energy gun.  Oh, how he loved that gun!  It was slick, sleek, silent, and tuned into him directly.  All of the gene carriers were able to _merge_ with their ‘cool space guns’, basically making it impossible for anyone else to use the weapons.  That meant that even if they were disarmed, the weapons couldn’t be used against them.  As for the non-gene carriers, Carson was working on keying the weapons to their DNA.  Lantea was helping.

A panel in front of him slid open, and a deep recess was revealed.  As well as another puzzle.

 

Seriously?

 

How paranoid were these people.

 

No, scratch that.  These idiots _created_ the Wraith.  They had a right to be paranoid.

 

It was a math-based riddle, and math was his favorite hobby.  By the time they heard the Genii making noises about the Gate opening, John was facing a rather dusty ZPM.  Laran immediately reached for it.

 

“Uh-uh.  Nope.  That’s mine, not yours.  You were a swell guide, but I did all the work.  Spoils to me.”

 

“You are not one of the Ancestors.  This is for them alone.  We shall relocate it and wait for their return.  I shall replace our leader, and we shall keep the faith.”

“Oh, I really don’t think so.”

 

John grabbed Laran’s hand and placed it flat on his LSD, holding him still.

 

_Hear me well, Laran of Dagan_

_I am the voice of the Ancients, whom you call Ancestor_

_They were not your progenitors_

_They were not your Ancestors_

_They did not birth your people_

_John Sheppard is a True Son_

_The Potentia is HIS birthright_

_You have no right to it_

 

Shocked and pale, Laran stepped back.

“This cannot be.  You are a stranger here.’

“Oh, it is.  It very well is.  How else could I live on the Ancient City?”

“Very well, the Potentia is yours.”

“Glad you see it my way.  Lorne, is everyone here?”

“Roger that, sir.”

“Close in on the Genii, surround them, and let’s take back our people.”

 

The fight really wasn’t fair.  The Lanteans had Jumpers and drones and really cool energy guns.  The Genii only had a ballsy leader with delusions of grandeur.  Once the smoke settled—and there was a lot of smoke—the leader of the Quindosim was in chains for choosing monetary gain over their lofty ideals, Kolya was deader than anyone had a right to be (turns out cumulative fire power was HUGE), and the remainder of the Genii were sent back to their homeworld unarmed, with a message to NEVER mess with the Lanteans again.

And Rodney had a new toy.

He practically vibrated with joy, and he literally bounced through the Gateroom on his way to clean and install the new ZPM.  Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at John.

“Let him go.  We had this huge dog-and-pony show to go through just to get that thing.  He deserves to enjoy it.”

 

                                                    *******************************************************************

 

She had power, finally.  The Genii had been dealt with harshly.  Her weapons worked better than She had hoped.

McKay was overjoyed, and happiness radiated through Her walls, spreading to all of Her people.

The Keeper also seemed to emit happiness, although that seemed to be based on McKay’s emotion.

Perhaps She could enhance these feelings.

If she could facilitate these feelings, She could reveal more of Her secrets.  She could reveal how to charge the Potentia.  She could reveal how to manufacture the Potentia.  With more power, Her people could maintain better contact with their homeworld.  With more contact, they would have less stress.

With less stress, they would be happier.

They would not leave Her if they were happy.


	7. Chapter 7

“So you found yourselves a new ZPM?”

“An old one, actually, General.  It was a fully charged ZPM that the Ancients left behind with some religious order.  They were quite reluctant to give it up.”

“What persuaded them to do so, Dr. Weir?  It has been our experience that religious orders are practically impossible to negotiate with.”

“Well, General O’Neill, it seems Lantea herself persuaded the Daganians to give up the ZPM.  I wasn’t there, of course, but Colonel Sheppard informed me that it was a direct intervention.”

A slight pause, then, “Ah, the living city.  Is it really weird there now?”

Elizabeth laughed.  “No, it’s not weird.  Well, not compared to having an enemy that wants to eat us.  Lantea’s presence is mostly comforting.  And she’s been very helpful.  You have, of course, read our reports on the medical instruments we were given.”

“Yeah.  Shame you can’t send any of them here for study.  They sound like they can be very useful.”

“We’re still researching the medicines involved, but the dermal regenerators have become irreplaceable.  Accidents happen, as do enemies, and we have unfortunately had a lot of practice using those instruments.”

“Not all of your medical staff have the ATA gene.  Is there a problem with those people using the technology?”

“Lantea and Dr. Beckett have been working with several of our engineers to make the generators accessible to every member of the medical staff and several other members of Away Teams.  Sometimes our teams take the generators off of the city for missions, especially if the mission takes them to unfamiliar places.  The ability to treat injuries on site is a welcome one.”

“Any of the people you meet with ever show undue interest in the devises?”

“Not in the way you think.  We had an incident a while back: an entire team was taken.  There were bodies found, burned beyond recognition, and until Dr. Beckett did a thorough examination we were certain that they were our people.  The team that was taken was comprised totally of gene carriers.  Some people here, most notably the Genii, are aware of the uniqueness of the gene carriers—that they are special ‘descendants’ of the Ancients.  The team was taken for what we assume were to be medical experimentations.”

“But the experiments never happened?”

“Oh, no.  They were beaten, but we retrieved them before any major damage was done.”

“How did you find them?”

Another laugh.

“That was Lantea, again.  She was upset that we thought our people were dead.  Lantea has managed to ‘merge’ with several of our instruments, including our radios.  It seems she knew that Lorne’s team was still alive because their radios were not immediately taken from them.  She made several pleas for attention before actually dialing the Gate to the planet address where they were being held.  It was a Genii outpost.  Colonel Sheppard was ruthless in dealing with them.  I really don’t like to think about what was done there.  The Genii initially led us to believe that they wanted freedom from the Wraith, and that they would welcome a relationship that would be mutually beneficial.  We later found out that they only wanted to subjugate other societies in this galaxy, and they were not above leading the Wraith to other settlements for culling in order to keep them from Genii settlements.  As of now, I doubt there are enough Genii left to survive another culling.”

“Good, people like that need to be killed in a big way.   As you know, Dr. Jackson would like to come out there to search the city database for clues on the Ori.  Do you have a problem with that?”

“No, not at all.  Since we have more power available to us, will he be dialing in directly or coming on the Daedalus?”

“He’d like to dial in with the rest of SG1.  He’s kinda excited to chat with your city.”

“You can’t honestly tell me that _you_ aren’t curious about the city.”

“I’m cautiously intrigued.  Would I like to talk with her?  Sure, I would.  I’m more intrigued about the weapons the city has provided.”

“Do you want to talk with her now?  She’s linked with our system.  She’s probably listening in right now.  She respects privacy, but she monitors us to make sure we’re safe and happy.  She wouldn’t poke into the conversation unless invited.  In fact, the majority of the population isn’t really aware of _how_ sentient and involved Lantea is.”

“Oh, yeah?  Huh.  Well, hello Lantea?”

 

_Hear me General O’Neill_

_Greetings_

 

“Greetings to you, too.”

 

_You are concerned about me._

_I hear it in your voice._

 

“Honestly, yeah, I’m concerned.  Living cities aren’t really supposed to exist.”

 

_I believe my awareness was accidental._

_My old people were never concerned with my well-being._

_I had never bothered to bring attention to myself._

_I was very disappointed when my old people turned their focus away from living and toward Ascension._

_I was given life, even if by accident._

_That they would throw it away needlessly saddened me._

_I concern myself now with the well-being of my new people._

 

“They’re my people, too, and I want to see them survive.  I admit to being jealous of the energy guns.  Was that your idea?”

_My old people invented the design when they thought to fight for survival._

_Like many things, they disregarded the need to fight._

_My Danger Center was abandoned and left half stocked when my old people left me alone._

_I merely showed the plans and method to the Keeper so that they could manufacture the weapons for defense._

 

“Is there any type of homing signal on the weapons, like the ones on the med instruments?”

_The medical tools were already in place when I revealed them._

_The weapons are made new._

_No trackers have been placed on the weapons upon manufacture._

 

“So the guns could be made and sent here to Earth?”

 

_The manufacture of the weapons should ideally be done by the soldier who would be wielding the weapon._

_The manufacture is a personal effort._

_The manufacture is a trying effort._

“Yes, General, you should probably talk to Colonel Sheppard about how the guns are made.  We have left a lot of that kind of information out of our reports for various reasons.  It’s not the kind of information that certain people should have.”

“I see.  Thank you, Lantea, for talking to me.  Perhaps I should make plans to visit personally, along with SG1.  I’d like to get a feel for the city myself.”

 

_You will be welcome._

 

“Um, just one more thing:  Who is the ‘Keeper’?”

“That is Lantea’s designation for Colonel Sheppard.  It actually has something to do with his name.”

 

                                     **********************************************************

 

The senior staff meeting was going well.  Major Lorne reported that he and his team were quite recovered from their ordeal.  They were all grateful that Lantea kept such a good eye on them and facilitated a quick recovery.  He also reported on the missile launchers and missile stock:  All well and ready to go in case of attack.

“Ideally, I’d really like to fire up the Stardrive and relocate the city.  I don’t want to risk the Wraith finding us again.”

“I know, Rodney, but we need a lot more power to do that.  At the very least, we need two more fully charged ZPMs, and the Daganians only had the one.”

“So, we just keep looking.”

“Yes, well, on another note, General O’Neill and SG1 will be arriving in two days, so their visit will coincide with the Daedalus’ supply run.  He wants to ‘get a feel’ for the city.  Since his expression of the gene is more powerful than Colonel Sheppard’s, the interaction should prove to be interesting.  He and Dr. Jackson will be looking for information about the Ori.  I haven’t come across any information like that while I was casually exploring the database, and Lantea doesn’t seem to recognize the name.”

“It would,” said Sheppard, “be nice if for once we were ahead of the game as far as enemies go.  We’ve got enough to deal with here, and now we have to help the Home Team get ahead in their war.  I just hope we can offer help.”

 

                                        ******************************************************************

 

Two days later, the Gateroom was filled with Senior staff, Gate technicians, and security.  The Gate began to dial in, and the Shield shimmered into place to prevent unwanted entry.  That was something Lantea began doing automatically just after the Genii invasion.  It saved the Gate Tech from having to do it in case of emergency dial-in, and allowed everyone on duty in the Gate Room to pay attention to the rest of their jobs.  The ‘home’ address was identified as Earth-sourced, and the SGC code came through.

“Atlantis, this is O’Neill.  I have myself, a four-person Gate team, and two nosy security guards ready to come through.  Is everything clear?”

“General O’Neill, this is Elizabeth Weir of Atlantis; All is clear.  You are welcome to step through the Gate.”

The Shield dropped, and the first people through the Gate were the security team.  They glanced quickly around the room as they stepped out of the way, and SG1 and O’Neill came through last.  The security team carried P-90s and holstered pistols, but everyone else carried personal packs.  O’Neill and Jackson also carried a large crate between them.

 

“We bring gifts!  Hello everyone, and thanks for having us!”

 

The wormhole disengaged and Lantea raised the Shield again.  Elizabeth, John, Rodney and Carson joined their visitors in the middle of the room.

“I’m afraid I’ll have to have you all in the Infirmary.  It’s a precaution, but it’s one we take seriously.  Everyone gets a check before they are allowed to roam about.”

“Not a problem, Doc, we do the same thing.  I’ll ask you to examine Miller and Finn first, because they really are chomping at the bit to see this wonderful city.  They practically begged to come with us.”

“Jack—be nice.  They did not _beg_.  They got the President to beg for them.”

“Right.  Anyway, after the exam, we have gifts for you.  I believe we should get to that before the Daedalus arrives.”

“Very well.  We received a transmission that the Daedalus was approximately three hours out.”

 

Physical exams finished, Carson took time to show O’Neill and Samantha Carter the cool new med tools that Lantea gave him and his crew.  O’Neill pouted a bit that they could not be taken back to the Milky Way, but all agreed that safety was best served first.

The Senior Staff and the visitors settled in the conference room after O’Neill shooed his security team away with Bates for a brief tour.  The two men were gene carriers and O’Neill explained that they had expressed an interest in the energy guns.  John shot Lorne a grim look as they took their seats.

“First,” said O’Neill as he opened the crate, “we didn’t bring much as the Daedalus was coming on a regular supply run.  Daniel and the rest of SG1 would have been on board, but they had already left orbit when Daniel got the brain-storm that led to this trip.  All of the really good stuff is on the ship.  What I have here is a personal ‘Thank You’ for doing such a good job out here.

“For Dr. Weir, we have a supply of gourmet chocolate cookies.   A small supply, but it’s not something you would request for yourself on a supply run.  For Dr. Beckett, we have two bottles of prime Glenlivet—oak aged and 35-years-old.  For Dr. McKay and his prime choice minions, we have four pounds of really good coffee that Daniel found during a research trip.  For Colonel Sheppard, well, you might not want this.  The President requested, and the Joint Chiefs agreed, that you be promoted to Full Bird Colonel.  Apparently, you have performed miracles in helping our people survive out here, and we’re all really proud of you.  Of course, your 2IC will also be promoted, just to repay him for keeping track of you.”

“You do realize that _he_ was the one who got kidnapped last time, right?”

“Now, sir—don’t take the joy out of my shiny new jewelry.  And I do keep track of you quite well.”

Elizabeth looked into the crate at the swath of material that was left inside.

“What’s that?”

“Oh, this.  Well, after we received the report on the sentience of the city, Cassandra Fraser—who works in our infirmary now—did a nice bit of needle work.  This is an ornamental flag for Lantea, designed to hang in the Gate Room.”

O’Neill held up a purple and white banner depicting a star field, with a needle-pointe Pegasus in the center.

“She didn’t have a photo of the city to work from, so she thought this would work.”

 

The wall monitor in the conference room began to hum and glow green and the table began to vibrate gently.

The gently chiming voice spoke aloud.

 

_Hear me, visitors to my walls_

_Hear me well_

_I thank you for the thoughtful gift_

_I should like for it to hang in front of my Gate_

_I should like for all who enter my walls to view this gift first upon arrival_

_I welcome you all_

 

“And that,” said Elizabeth, watching the stunned faces around the table, “is our fair Lantea.”

Daniel Jackson swallowed deeply.

“When you said she could talk, I didn’t think you meant out loud.”

“Well,” said Sheppard, “That’s relatively new development.  Not everyone on the city knows she can do that.  But she needed to talk with someone who isn’t a gene carrier, and she did it that way.  I believe this is only the second time she’s vocalized.  Once you walk around the city, General O’Neill, you’ll feel her in your head.  All gene carriers do.  It’s a comfort to us.  The people we have who aren’t gene carriers can communicate by touching the monitors, or their tablet and laptop computers, or the LSDs that security patrols use.”

“Yes,” said McKay, “It’s all very neat.  She calls this ‘merging’ and she has ‘merged’ with our radios and the Gate sensors, so she can tell if we’re in distress or ill health.  She also rather annoyingly monitors my eating habits.”

O’Neill smirked at Rodney.

“So, you finally got a baby-sitter that you can’t avoid.”

“Oh, HA-HA!”

“Well, people, the Daedalus will be here soon, and we have supplies and new personnel to get sorted.  Why don’t we hang this lovely banner and show our guests to their rooms before the ship docks.”

“Excellent idea, Dr. Weir.  Do I have a nice view?”

“And a balcony, General.”

 

                             *****************************************************************

 

These strange people have shown Her regard.  They have shown awe at Her presence.  They have come to ask Her for aid.

They brought Her a lovely gift—a gift that showed thoughtfulness and care.

They were reverently kind to Her so far.

She would watch after them as if they were Her own people.

The O’Neill had a lovely feel to him

Perhaps She could convince him to stay

 

                             **************************************************

 

“Atlantis, this is the Daedalus.  Permission to dock at your West Pier.”

“Permission granted, Daedalus.  Please be informed that General O’Neill and SG1 are in the city for research purposes, and will greet you in the Gate Room.”

A long pause, and then:

“Acknowledged.  Daedalus, out.”

 

“Is it me, or did Caldwell sound almost disappointed that we’re here?”

“He did sound odd, Jack.  I guess we’ll see when he beams in.  He is ‘beaming’ in, right Dr. Weir?”

“He usually does just before then ship docks.  We have coffee while supplies are being off-loaded.”

 

There was a bright flash of white light, and then Colonel Steven Caldwell appeared in the middle of the Gate Room.  Almost immediately, there was a red flash, and a shimmering force-field appeared around him.  Warning sirens blared and monitors flashed red all around the Gate Room.

“What is going on?  Lantea, what’s happening?”

 

Sheppard and Lorne ran into the Gate Room leading a patrol of security guards, all armed with energy guns, primed and charged.

 

“She’s buzzing furiously in my head, Elizabeth!  What just happened?”

“We don’t know.  Colonel Caldwell beamed in, and she placed him in some sort of containment field.  I didn’t even know we had one of those here.”

“Neither did I or I would have used it on the Genii.”

 

A panel on the wall next to Elizabeth and O’Neill flashed red, and they both reached out to touch it.

 

_Hear me_

_Hear me well_

_This being is not Colonel Caldwell_

_This body is not void_

_There is a malevolent being contained within_

_Here me_

_There is danger here_

 

O’Neill walked over to the containment field, and spoke to Caldwell.

“Steven, how are you doing?  It’s been a while since I’ve seen you face to face.”

 

Caldwell’s eyes flashed gold.

 

“Uh-huh.  And where did you come from?  What are you doing here?”

“Who I am is of no consequence. I was brought here to take over the city for use as a weapon for the Trust. If I cannot take over, I am to destroy the city.”

“See, now, that’s not going to happen.  Not on my watch.  I’m looking forward too much to getting to know this Lady Lantea.  We need to move you to a safe place until we can figure out how to remove you from Caldwell’s body.”

 

A fine mist began to fill the containment field.

“What is that?”

“That is a plant-based anesthesia that Beckett designed.  It’s fast and effective, and it won’t harm the body.  We can move him to our prison cell.  It’s Wraith-proof, so I doubt he’ll get away.  Lantea, how did you know?”

 

_Hear me_

_I remember all who visit my walls_

_Steven Caldwell has been here often_

_Steven Caldwell is envious of the Keeper’s command_

_Steven Caldwell is envious of the prestige of this city_

_Steven Caldwell has never meant harm to me or my people_

_This person felt different when he entered my walls_

Sheppard looked at O’Neill, and said, “Remember when we told you she monitors our physical condition?  She’s really good at it.”

“So I see.  I need to get on board the Daedalus and chat with Hermiod about removing that Gou’ald.  I doubt it’ll give us any useful information, so it’ll be best to remove and destroy it.”

“We know a lot of volcanoes, sir.”

 

                                                          ************************************************************

 

There were a few very tense days when every member of the Daedalus crew had to walk into the Gate Room and be examined by Lantea and Carson Beckett.  Until they were cleared, they were under guard and unable to move about the city.  New personnel were examined last, and then they were sorted to assigned quarters and job assignments.  The reason for this behavior was kept from everyone on the Daedalus crew until they could be monitored after their return to Earth.  No one was sure when Caldwell was compromised or what contacts he had.  Even Caldwell himself was unclear as to when he was implanted with the symbiote.  After the dust settled, and Caldwell was treated, O’Neill decided to send him back through the Gate, leaving his second in command in charge of the ship for the return trip.

 

Once all of that was dealt with, Daniel Jackson and Samantha Carter set about studying the Atlantean database in hopes of learning about the Ori.  O’Neill got a guided tour of the explored areas of the city, culminating in a tour of the Danger Center.  Here, he got to see the weapons manufacture table and the component stores.

“So, what‘s the deal with the energy guns?  You don’t honestly think I missed that look you gave Lorne when I mentioned Miller and Finn’s interest.”

“Well, sir, actually _making_ the guns is an exercise in mental torture.  And I’m not exaggerating.  A lot of meditation is involved, where you have to bring up every loss, every fear, every sense of helplessness you have ever had.  You have to _feed_ these emotions to this machine in order to create the weapons.  We call it “Space Gun Therapy”, and only gene carriers can do it.  So, in order for us to make guns for everyone, we have to lay on a thick layer of empathy on top of all the misery.  It’s a really rough go, sir.”

“I imagine it would be.  It certainly doesn’t sound pleasant.  So, asking you all to provide weapons for the SGC is out.”

“Yeah, no, I don’t think we could do that.  For one thing, it’s not a fun time.  Anyone working in here is automatically given two-day’s downtime on the mainland surfing and star-gazing and being taken care of by the Athosians.  A soldier spa-day, if you will.  For another thing, when a gene carrier creates a weapon, it is ‘merged’ with that soldier, so it will only work for that soldier.  Beckett and Lantea have figured out a way to key the guns to DNA, so soldiers who are not gene carriers can use them, but the whole thing is time-intensive and very involved.  If Miller and Finn want the guns, Lantea can show them how to make them, but mass production is out.”

“I’ll let them know.  They’ll have to be given the opportunity to make the decision themselves.  They’re strong, mentally, but I don’t know if they’re that strong.”

 

                                *********************************************************

 

“So you have nothing in your records about the Ori?”

Daniel Jackson kept his left hand lightly pressed to his tablet and he typed into a city computer with his right.  He was seriously considering asking for the gene therapy, if only to be able to mentally communicate with Lantea personally.

 

_I have searched my memory thoroughly_

_I have sought out other Learning Centers on other worlds_

_The word is foreign to me_

 

“Have you ever come across the concept of Origin, as a religion?”

Lantea hummed for a bit, and the tablet under his hand vibrated with her thoughts.

 

_That concept is familiar_

_Long ago, prior to building me, my people had records of a religious war_

_Origin_

_The people you call Ancients, and the people of this galaxy call the Ancestors, were originally called Alterans_

_They were a scientific people_

_They explored_

_They learned_

_They traveled_

_At some point in the distant past, a faction of Alterans grew_

_This faction was more interested in where their people came from, rather than where they were going_

_My people grew apart from this faction_

_They sought enlightenment_

_They sought Ascension_

_This other faction began to teach that Ascending was wrong_

_This is all the information I have_

 

“Interesting.  The Ori and the Ancients were once the same people.  Thank you, Lantea.  This may help us find information to defeat the Ori.  They seem to want to persecute anyone who is focused on the sciences.  They are zealots of the worst kind.”

 

_I am pleased to have been of assistance_

_Will you find a way to keep me apprised of your progress?_

 

“It would be my pleasure.”


	8. Chapter 8

The new visitors to Her walls brought new emotions to Her people.  Some were hopeful, other were worried.  After She prevented a Gou’ald from overtaking Her walls, or outright destroying Her, Her people dealt very gently with Her.

She agreed to keep Her total sentience secret from most of the population.

Still, rumors spread easily.

The happiness felt after finding the Potentia was starting to fade.

They would never be able to charge another if She didn’t do something.

She needed to plan.

 

                               ***************************************************************

 

Carson was reading his tablet as he left the infirmary for a much needed meal.  He had been deep into his Wraith research and the day had gotten away from him.  AS he approached the transporter, the door opened and Teyla stepped out.

“Did you need something, Teyla?”

“No, Doctor, I do not require anything.  I had pressed the designation for the Mess Hall, but I was led here instead.”

“That’s odd.  I was on my way to eat, myself.  Would you care to join me, or are you meeting your team?”

“I have only just returned from the Mainland, and the rest of the team has already eaten.   I would be glad to join you.”

 

                          *************************************

 

“Rodney, you’re very close to missing lunch.  I can’t believe you managed to ignore Lantea this long.”

“Huh?  I haven’t ignored anything.  There were no power outages here.”

“Well, that’s odd.  She told me it was time to retrieve you.  I was lost in paperwork until she chimed in.”

“How late is it?”

Sheppard looked at his watch.

“Actually, it’s almost dinner time.”

“That’s really odd.  She never waits this long before sending me to food.  Of course, I did have a few power bars a while ago while Radek and I were running that simulation.”

 

The two men walked to the transporter near the labs.

“I tried to get hold of Ronan and Teyla, but they didn’t answer.  They could be in the gym.  Do you want to go there first?”

Rodney’s stomach made a very loud, rude noise.

“No, better not.  We can call them from the Mess Hall.”

 

Arriving outside the Mess Hall, John spotted Teyla inside sitting with Carson Beckett, eating and laughing.  Ronan was nowhere to be found, but he would probably show up soon.

“There’s Teyla.  Let’s see what the fare is and head over.”

 

Once they had their trays, loaded with some sort of meat (sometimes it was best not to ask, even with better contact with Earth), mashed Tormak, and C-cherry tarts, they walked in the direction of Teyla’s table, but a shimmering wall appeared in front of them.  They frowned and walked further into the room, directed by a force field, until they reached a table near the balcony.  The night was mild, and the balcony doors were open, allowing a light breeze to filter into the room.

 

“Okay, so Lantea doesn’t want us to sit over there.  That’s really odd.”

John glanced toward Teyla and Carson, and noted how close they were sitting.  Teyla seemed relaxed and happy, if her smile was anything to go on.  He hadn’t seen that smile often since her break with the Athosians.  While the Atlantis personnel maintained a great relationship with the Pegasus natives, Teyla had distanced herself from them.  Their attitude toward her and her Wraith DNA struck her as a betrayal.  She had always hoped to find a mate and have children, and now that the whole of the Athosian people knew about her (their elders kept that secret close), everyone treated her like a Pariah.  Carson had wisely decided not to test any of the others, not wanting to reveal anyone else with the DNA issue because he didn’t want to be responsible for others being thrust out of their society.  Since the Athosians rarely came to the city, Lantea kept her scans to herself.  The Athosian trading parties were small, mostly the same people over and over again, so everyone was fairly sure who the other Wraith-detectors were.  Still, Teyla seemed really happy now, so John decided to let the issue go.

 

“We can eat alone this time.  Carson’s keeping Teyla entertained, and Ronan might be along soon.  It’s late in the lunch rush, so it’s possible that he ate earlier.”

“It’s still very odd that Lantea seems to have herded us over here.  There’s, like no people here at all.”

“Yeah, it’s cozy.”

 

 

The rest of the week was more of the same.  Teyla kept finding herself very near Carson when mealtimes came around.  She wasn’t actively searching for him, but she was pleasantly surprised to be in his company.  The first few times, Carson looked frazzled at the meetings.  After their third breakfast meeting, he confessed that his equipment had started to ‘malfunction’ around mealtimes, and he would find himself ‘guided’ toward the area of the city where Teyla would be found.  He definitely did not mind the company, but he had started to wonder at the timing.

“Is this like when Lantea makes sure that Rodney eats on time?”

“I’ve no idea.  I don’t get as distracted as Rodney does, unless there is a medical emergency.  Thankfully we haven’t had one of those in a while.  I do admit to enjoying the company, though.”

“I, too, enjoy the company.  I will admit that I have been directed to take meals with you, as well.  Yesterday after my workout with John, my room door would not open for me to go to lunch with the rest of the team.  I asked Lantea about the door malfunction, and she instigated a talk about courtship practices among my people.  Then my door opened, and you were in front of the Mess Hall when I left the transporter.  I was amused, but pleased to see you.”

“So do you think we’re being matched?”

“It may only be a coincidence.”

“Hmmmm, that’s very odd.  Did you know that tomorrow night is movie night?”

“I was aware, yes.”

“I know you don’t really understand our fascination with that entertainment.”

“I have found this form of story-telling to be quite satisfactory.  I do enjoy the movies our team watches together, and they allow me the opportunity to ask about your culture.”

“Well, would you do me the honor of accompanying me to the movie, as my date?  We can maybe see if Lantea has the right idea?”

“That sounds very nice, Carson.  I would love to be your date tomorrow.”

 

                               *************************************************

 

As far as missions went, this one sucked.

Planetary scans found possible mineral deposits that would be beneficial to their missile stores, but personal exploration was necessary.  Lantea had no information about the planet, so John decided to be cautious and assigned the mission to SGA:1.  He’d rather go into possible danger himself than risk his people.

He was really going to have to re-think that attitude, because this sucked.

First, they couldn’t directly dial to the planet in question.  Some sort of radiation prevented it, so they had to fly a Jumper through a Space Gate, into another Space Gate, and then to the Planetary Gate, just to avoid radiation leakage.

Second, there was not population at _all._ No people, no large animals, not very many small animals.  It was very creepy.

Third, the land was dry—like desert dry.  There was water, but it didn’t look potable.  What grass there was, was just begging for a flash fire.

 

Fourthly, there were Wraith.

Yeah, that was a big one.  They dialed in about fifteen minutes after Team Sheppard, and there was no natural cover near the gate. They were separated from their Jumper, which was thankfully cloaked.

So they ran, very quickly, toward a large rock formation, radioing back to Atlantis for help.

That brought to notice thing five:  The radios didn’t work.

Ronan managed to circle around the Wraith, taking out three of them, and Rodney and Teyla were heading back toward the Jumper.  Thankfully Stackhouse stayed inside the Jumper with Dr. Simpson, so the door opened when they got there.  Inside, Simpson was very quietly freaking out and Stackhouse was cursing up a storm.

John had taken off as far from the Jumper as possible to lead the Wraith away, and he was trying to find his way back.  His tail was persistent, but at least the Wraith had the same radio issues he did.  He had doubled-back and headed for the Jumper when he tripped over a large rock and fell into a dry bush.  The fall was loud, as the bush was very dry and covered with some sort of web, and the noise attracted the Wraith that was following John.  He was scrambling for his gun when he felt a sharp pain in his neck.  Reaching up, he felt a hard shell and pinschers attached to his neck, the pain almost unbearable.  The Wraith came upon him, and John just knew he was screwed.  He was getting light-headed, and he couldn’t reach his gun, and the Wraith just walked up to him. 

Then the Wraith looked at him and smiled.

And just walked away.

Yeah, John was screwed.  Because that could not be good.

 

 

Ronan found him just minutes after the Wraith left.  He tried to remove whatever was attached to him, but it wouldn’t let go.  John was getting weaker, so Ronan carried him back to the jumper.

“There’s nothing here.  Wraith is gone, and Shep’s hurt bad. Let’s go.”

 

Ronan made himself at home in a forward seat near Simpson as Stackhouse flew the Jumper through the Gate.  Once through the Gate, Lantea made contact with the Jumper.

 

_I could not find you._

_There was much interference._

_What has happened?_

“We got intercepted by Wraith, and Sheppard got attacked by the local wildlife.  He’s in a bad way.”

 

Lights flashed inside the Jumper.

 

_It is an Iratus Bug._

_It is feeding from him._

_It must be removed quickly._

_It could kill the Keeper._

 

“That is proving to be difficult.  It seems to have dug in deep.”

Rodney was very upset.  He was basically watching his very best friend die, and he couldn’t do anything to help.

“We’ll have to wait until we get back to the city.  Carson will know what to do.”

Since there was no way to directly return to the city, they made it to the second Space Gate, radioing to the city on the way.  Half-way through the Gate, the Jumper mal-functioned.  The drive pods raised, and they got stuck in the Gate.  Half of the Jumper was in orbit of a Space Gate, the other half was in the Atlantis Gate Room.  Not a great situation.  John was hurt badly, the Jumper was stuck, and they had roughly thirty minutes before they were disintegrated.  Fortunately, Rodney worked well under pressure.  He contacted the Infirmary through the radio and apprised Carson of the situation.  Carson was waiting in the Gate Room with a full medical team.

 

“Lantea, what information do you have about the Iratus Bug, besides the fact that the Ancients uses them to _create_ the Wraith?”

 

_I have limited knowledge._

_The Iratus Bug feeds on the Life Force of a living being, much like the Wraith._

_The Iratus will feed until the prey is completely dead._

_Unlike then Wraith, the Iratus will not leave prey partly drained._

 

“That’s not good.  If we could remove the bug from John’s neck, we could climb through the hatch into the Gate Room and save ourselves before the wormhole disengages.  But if he has to be dead to remove it, we’re out of luck.”

Carson spoke up from the Gate Room.

“I may have a rather radical solution.  It’s not ideal, and it involves stopping Colonel Sheppard’s heart.  I’ll be frank, it may kill him for good, but we have to get you all out of the Jumper.”

 

“If this works, at all, we’re shelving all of the Jumpers and doing a very thorough maintenance check.”

“What do we have to do, Carson?” Teyla asked.

“I’ve got the Jumper schematics open here.  There is a panel to the right of the Pilot Bay door, which houses the electrical system.  If you open it, you can access the wires for the door panel.  Pull one of the wires, and—being _very_ careful—touch the bare wire to John’s bare skin, as close to the bug as possible.”

 

Teyla ripped John’s shirt to the waist, exposing his chest and the horrible insect attached to his neck.  Lantea lit the proper panel so Rodney could find it.  He looked into John’s eyes, and swallowed deeply.

“You are my very best friend.  I hate that this happened to you.  I hate that I have to do this to you.  If you die for good, it will kill me.  So don’t die, okay?”

“I’d never leave you, buddy.  We’re a team.  So just do this, okay?”

“Right.  Teyla, don’t touch him.  I don’t want to shock you as well.”

 

“Rodney, we have a med team here.  We will be able to revive him.  You will have to provide CPR until you get into the Gate Room, and you must get here quickly.  Let me give you instructions first, and we can get ready to transfer John to the infirmary.”

 

Ronan removed a bench from the side of the Jumper, and they laid John on it.  Teyla, being the smallest, made ready to climb on top of John as soon as it was possible, so she could provide CPR.  Ronan moved to the side of the bench so he and Rodney could carry John through the hatch.  A group of Marines waited on the other side of the Horizon so they could catch the bench and pull it through to the gurney.  All was ready on both sides of the wormhole, and time was counting down fast.  Stackhouse and Simpson were ready to move out, and the Gate Room was evacuated of all but necessary personnel, because they were expecting the Jumper to possibly explode.

Rodney looked John in the eye one last time, and pressed the live wire to John’s chest right beside the bug.  John screamed and jerked, then fell silent and still.  The Iratus Bug fell off, and Ronan bagged it for the xenobiologists to study.

Teyla climbed on top of John and began chest compressions per Carson’s instructions, and Ronan and Rodney carried them through the horizon into Carson’s loving care.  As soon as Simpson and Stackhouse were through Gate, the Jumper shuddered and shifted backwards.  The Horizon closed with no Jumper and no explosion.  Carson called for a dose of epinephrine and a syringe of adrenaline, and the med team moved John out of the Gate Room towards the infirmary.

 

_The Jumper has been left drifting._

_It may be retrieved when the emergency is over._

_The Jumper should be able to be repaired._

_You should go to the Infirmary and wait for the Keeper’s recovery._

                                          ********************************************************

 

She would have to Merge with the MALPs.  They were clever machines Her people used to verify safety before they sent Teams through the Gate.  If She had Merged earlier, She would perhaps noticed the Iratus occupation on that mission.

She would perhaps have been able to avoid the Keeper’s injury.

She ached for his loss, no matter how temporary.  That Her people had had to ‘kill’ the Keeper in the Jumper in order to remove the Iratus was horrifying to Her.

She would have to update the sensors on the Jumpers.  The Radek would help Her.  He was Her favorite engineer.  He kept Her Jumpers working properly.  He spoke in an amusingly erratic pattern.  He kept Her entertained by switching languages.  She would have to learn Czech for him.  He was one who could never Merge with Her.  She would endeavor to make communication easier for him.

Her Keeper was at the top of Her concern.  His healing was slow, and She often hummed to him as he slept in the infirmary bed.  She watched with him when his team brought movies to entertain him.  His happiness was necessary to the survival of Her people.

She watched the way McKay interacted with the Keeper.  McKay’s voice lightened when they were in the same room.  She heard the anguish in his voice when the Keeper was about to die.  She heard McKay suffering when he realized that _he_ would be the one to kill his friend.  She saw how McKay smiled when the Keeper spoke to him.

They could make each other happy.

They could bring each other joy.

Together, they could help power Her walls and systems.

If they could build and charge the Potentia, She would be powerful again.

She could fully protect Her people.

She knew She had to act to make this happen.

The joy from the Beckett and Teyla was only the beginning.

 

                                                          *************************************************************

 

Two weeks later, and John still hurt.  He hurt to move, so he rarely did.  He hurt to exercise, so Teyla let him out of their workouts and Ronan refused to allow him to run.  He hurt to be nice to weird people, so Elizabeth refused to allow him to lead missions out of the city.  He tried to claim severe headaches, but Lorne made him do his own paperwork anyway.

His office was the only place he was really allowed to go, unless it was a trip to the Infirmary for a check-up or going to the Mess Hall for food.  He even got frowned at if he went into the Gate Room, and he _liked_ seeing-off the gate teams.  So, he found himself frequently bored.  Thank fuck he had Lantea to chat with while he was supposed to be filling out reports.  He didn’t even have to speak out loud, so Lorne wasn’t aware that his attention was elsewhere.

 

_Tell me of your homeworld, Keeper._

**Well, it’s kinda like this planet, only much more populated.**

 

_Do you enjoy being around so many people?_

 

**Well, it’s highly populated, but there are very few places that are crowded.  I admit that I chose to learn to fly because I could leave the people behind.  And I like the freedom.**

 

_The Jumpers are not the same?_

 

**No, they’re not.  Mainly because they’re fully enclosed.  Not too many windows.  A smaller aircraft gives the feeling of more freedom.**

 

_Freedom is important to you._

 

**Freedom is important to everybody.  It’s why we have wars, I suppose.  Someone out there is always trying to subjugate people, and freedom is the only thing that matters.  Out here, there’s the Wraith, who see us as food.  Back home, on Earth, we have religious leaders who start wars in order to force their beliefs on others.  I went into the Air Force to fight for freedom; my own and the freedom of others.**

 

_How else do you find freedom?_

 

**Well, I taught myself to play guitar.  Music is freeing in a lot of ways.  And I surf.**

 

_What is surf?_

 

**Well, the ocean has waves, right?  Surfing is using a long piece of wood—or fiberglass nowadays—and riding on top of it over the waves.  It’s like flying, only wetter.**

 

_Do you surf often?_

**Back home, I surfed a lot when I was younger.  Later, when I was settled in my Air Force career, surfing took a back seat.  I wasn’t stationed near beaches often, and then I went to the desert.  And then I went to Antarctica.  And then, I came here.**

 

_Are there not beaches on the mainland?_

 

John laughed a little, startling Lorne.

 

**You know, I bet there are beaches.  And I bet the surfing would be wonderful.  I should look into that.  I may not be up to surfing—and I don’t have a surfboard yet—but I can survey sites while I heal, and I can put in a request for a board from back home**.

 

_You should take McKay with you when you survey.  He could be a great help to you._

 

**Yeah, I could do that.  He needs to get out of the Lab, anyway.  Fresh air would do him good.**

 

_You should also play music for me.  I would enjoy hearing it._

_**************************************************************_

 

“I still think you’re nuts.  And I’m nuts for going along with it.  Surveying for a surf shack?  Seriously?”

 

“Rodney, we need to get away from the city for a while.  Things are quiet now.  I’m almost healed.  We’ll be back on the mission rotation soon enough.  Plus, if we find a promising site far enough away from the Athosian settlement, we’ll have a better place to send people after “Space Gun Therapy”.  Or after any stressful situation, really.  We could request a pre-fab building for shelter, dig a latrine, and set up a camping/surfing get-a-way place.  We need a place for R&R, and slipping back to the SGC is not a possibility right now.  We have a lot of soldiers wanting to request permanent posting here.  It takes three weeks for the Daedalus to make the one-way trip here, so using it for vacation trips is unrealistic.”

“I’m not totally discounting your reasoning, Sheppard.  I’m trying to figure out why you want _me_ to go along with you.”

“I picked you because you need to get out of the Lab.  You really need a change of scenery where you aren’t running for your life or taking scans of Ancient structures.  Also, you’re my best friend.  Who else would I take?”

 

Rodney blushed.

“Thanks.  Um, where will we be sleeping over there?  We don’t have a pre-fab building to set up, you know.”

“We can sleep in the Jumper for a couple of nights.  Its weather-proof and an air-mattress will make it comfy enough.  And Lantea can monitor us.  She worries, you know.”

“Given our record, she’s right to worry.”

 

Elizabeth and Carson both supported the survey trip, acknowledging that finding a vacation spot would ensure the mental well-being of their people.  They also agreed that distance from the Athosian settlement was important.  It was not the intent of the Atlantean people to remain insular, but constant interaction—especially given the Athosians’ stance on Teyla—would build resentment toward the Athosians.  Everyone, even Bates eventually, loved Teyla.  Three days were set aside for John and Rodney to visit the mainland, look for a promising site for a building, and test the surf and weather conditions.  John had his gear, an air-mattress and sleeping bags, and a large cooler full of food and water already stored on the Jumper, and was waiting in the Bay for Rodney.  Rodney came around the corner of the Jumper Bay chattering with Radek.

“I’m available if there are any emergencies.  Do _not_ let Kavanaugh near my white-boards.  As a matter of fact, you may want to lock Kavanaugh in the brig until I return, just to be safe.”

“I can handle until you return, Rodney.  Enjoy trip.  The city and I shall bond while you are gone.”

“Fine, fine, I’m going.  Be safe and don’t let Miko kill anyone.  I don’t like missing her fury.”

 

Rodney dropped his pack beside John’s and took his seat in the co-pilot chair.  He pulled out a laptop and began typing furiously.

“What are you possibly working on, Rodney.  This is supposed to be a vacation.”

“It’s an official survey trip, and I’m making a list of objectives to look for when finding a spot for Club Atlantis.  And is that a guitar back there?”

“Yes it is.  It came out on the second supply run.  I kinda promised Lantea that I’d play for her.”

“I’m not at all sure if I should worry that this is another female rolling over for you or not.”

“Christ, shut up Rodney!  I’m not that bad.  I have never touched one of those women that you claim are chasing after me.  Honestly, how could I even be interested in them?”

“Many of them are very attractive.”

“When it comes to my attraction, it takes more than a pretty face.”

“That’s good to know.  Now, the Athosian settlement is in the south-eastern section of the mainland.  Teyla said the hunting there is good, the wildlife plentiful, and the land is good for farming.  They are fairly far away from coastline, but there are three streams and one large pond near there.  I suggest we do a high fly-by, and possibly get an orbital view of the mainland before we take a closer look at the beach areas.  That way, we can check the topography and get a good gauge on the weather patterns.  I know we aren’t expecting a massive storm anytime soon, but some sort of natural shelter would come in handy.”

“Agreed.  It occurred to me that we’ve never done an orbital survey of this planet.  That’s a real shame, since we’ve been living here for so long.”

 

John flew the Jumper out of the Bay and they rose quickly into the atmosphere.  From orbit, the planet that housed Atlantis was beautiful.  Cloud formations over the oceans danced to a silent tune.  They circled the mainland twice, taking various readings until they felt satisfied that nothing was overlooked.  Then they descended and approached the western coast.   Two hours later, they decided that the south-western coast was best suited for their needs, and they landed.  The area John chose had soft, rolling hills covered in brush and trees that could provide firewood.  The area was grassy, but large game animals were sparse.  The beach area was covered in soft, white sand that almost glowed in the sunlight.  The waves looked promising, as well, with soft breakers to the north tapering to giant swells a few miles to the south.  Hoteliers on Earth would kill for this location.  But it was still daytime, and in their experience, nighttime brought dangers, even when the land looked harmless.  After his last mission, John vowed to never discount insects, or webs, or nests.  He had definitely learned to walk carefully.

 

Rodney scouted a spot for a latrine while John dug a fire pit and set up the mattress inside the Jumper.  Once camp was set, they sat to eat an early dinner before a walk on the beach.  The consensus had been to take it easy the first day, then explore in the dark the next day and in the day just before returning to the city.  John took the time after they ate to check in with Lorne and let everyone know that they were doing fine and that the weather was nice.

 

“This looks like a nice area.  The breeze is nice.”

“Yes, and the shelter of the trees is necessary.  We don’t need skin cancer out here.  Luckily, I make my own sunscreen.”

“You’re a real boy scout, Rodney.”

 

There was a long pause.  They just sat, enjoying the still of the air and the crash of the waves.  The peace was wonderful, and John almost felt guilty about not bringing _everyone_ out here.

 

“I was really scared, you know.”

John looked at Rodney.  “I do know.  I was scared, too.  I’m glad it was you.  You seem the most invested in keeping me alive.”

“That’s not entirely true.  We’re all invested in keeping you alive.”

“Yeah, but you took it personally.  I appreciate that.  I would have done the same for you.”

“I know.”

 

Rodney was blushing when he stood, brushing his hands on his pants.

“Ready for that walk?”

“Yeah, I still need to take it easy.  North or South?”

“We should go south, to where the large waves are.  You were the one interested in surfing.”

“You don’t need large waves to surf, Rodney.  Sometimes the small waves are best.”

“I did not know that.”

“I guess I’ll have to teach you once we’re all set up here.”

Rodney scoffed, and walked away.  John hurried to catch up.  They walked in quiet companionship for about a mile.  The scenery remained pleasant, the breeze coming off the ocean remained mild.  John made note of any animal life they saw signs of, but nothing really stood out as a possible danger.  Beside him, Rodney hummed softly and watched the cloud formations.  When they reached a point for turning back, Rodney once again instigated conversation.

“Besides the bug thing, and getting sent to McMurdo, what’s the worst thing to happen to you?”

John thought long and hard.  There were not a lot of possible answers to that question, but some were more offensive than others.

“I got married.  It did not last long, but it was really unpleasant while it lasted.”

“What was so bad about that?  I figured finding a life partner would be a worthy goal.”

“Well, that is a worthy goal.  I still have that worthy goal.  But Nancy was never a life partner.  I’m not really sure what she was.  A means to placate my father, maybe.  But I made her miserable, and she really made me miserable.  I actually looked forward to combat flying after that whole ordeal.”

“What was wrong with the marriage, if you don’t mind my asking?”

“No, I don’t mind.  I’ve never really told anyone outside of family about this.  And, as it turns out, my father was the most understanding person out of the whole deal.”

John paused, and took a deep breath before speaking.

“I was all of ten-years-old when I realized that I liked guys.  I mean, really _really_ liked guys.  I didn’t even know what sex was, but I saw my older brother with girlfriends, and I wanted no part of that.  But some of his friends turned my head.  By the time I hit puberty, I was most certainly not interested in females.  But I had to pretend to be, you know.”

“Yeah, I get it.  And you went into the Air Force Academy, which is a particular hot bed of heterosexuality.”

“Yeah, that exactly.”  John laughed.  “I became a pilot, which is a major babe-magnet thing to do, but I was only interested in planes and copters.  Women were never a factor.  Then people started looking at me like I was a major deviant, even though I never dated _anyone_ , and my dad brought up to me that I might think about my image.  It wasn’t until after the divorce that he told me that he kind of expected me to leave the service and become a happily gay private-sector pilot.  Or a math professor.  Or _anything_ other than the unhappy person I became.  My life was a wreck, and after the divorce I went to an out-of-the-way beach for a long surfing adventure, got a few lovers of my preferred persuasion, and tried to get my head together.  Then that bullshit in Afghanistan happened, and I got sent to McMurdo.  They only good thing to come out of that was my new-found friendship with my father.  Well, that and getting to come here.”

 

The rest of the walk was silent.  The sun had begun to set, and when they reached the Jumper, Rodney went inside to retrieve his jacket while John built a small fire.  They weren’t going to cook, and they were both tired, so the fire didn’t need to last long.  It was merely the perfect end to a pretty good day.  As Rodney got settled by the fire pit, John brought out his guitar.  He placed his hand on the Jumper wall and concentrated.

**Lantea, are you able to hear?**

_I hear you well, Keeper._

**Can you hear Rodney outside?**

_I can hear quite well if I enhance my sensors._

**Then, please enhance your sensors.  I’m gonna play for a bit.**

_Thank you, Keeper.  I look forward to it._

**You can probably call me John.**

 

John sat across the fire from Rodney and began softly strumming his guitar.  He’d only been playing for a few years.  It was something that kept him sane throughout his divorce and all of his deployments afterward.  He knew some John Denver, and a bit of Johnny Cash.  All of the melodies were slow and gentle, as this was not the place for rock and roll.  Rodney watched him with a bemused smile on his face.  This was a side of his friend that he never would have thought to see—a very appealing side.  All too soon, it was past full dark and time to settle to sleep.  John yawned deeply, reminding Rodney that he was still healing from having his heart stopped and then restarted.

“Come along, Colonel.  Time to sleep.  We have a busy day of surveying to do tomorrow.”

 

They two men settled into their sleeping bags on a shared mattress, a sleeping configuration they kept from Away Missions.  It was comfortable, well at least for camping, and even if the wind picked up, the Jumper kept them shielded.  They both fell asleep quickly, and neither remembered their dreams.

 

                                          *********************************************************

These are my people.

They must be kept safe.

They must be cared for.

They must be cherished.


	9. Chapter 9

They were a fixture now.  Always together when work didn’t force them apart.  Everyone saw them and couldn’t help but smile.  Their happiness was infectious.

Bright blue eyes met brown across the room, and he stood to meet his love in the middle.

 

“How was the mission?”

“It went very well, Carson.  The Vendarans were happy to meet with us, and they had stories about what could be an Ancient temple near their settlement.  John is meeting with Colonel Lorne to arrange a ‘searching party’ even now.  Of course, Rodney is probably bothering Lantea for information about it.  It is troublesome how little the city knows about other outposts in this galaxy.”

“Aye, that’s true.  But it helps that she can sometimes reach out to find outposts if there is enough power to send a small signal.  Now, I have a picnic packed.  I thought we could have dinner by the pools on the West Pier.”

“That sounds lovely.”

 

The small crowd parted as Carson and Teyla made their way to the transporter, but they never noticed another person around them.

 

                                                ************************************************************

 

It was time to reveal the Medical Lab.  The analysis of the medicines in Her Infirmary Storage unit was complete.   The medically dedicated scientists determined that the substances would not be detrimental to humans from the Milky Way and Pegasus Galaxies in this modern time.  Evolution had progressed humanity, but humanity had not advanced so far as to be totally removed from their progenitors.

The chemical production would not be a problem.  Components could be found readily on many friendly planets, so the only obstacle to gathering them would be the Wraith.  The Wraith were an obstacle to much for Her people.  She would endeavor to aid them in eradicating the Wraith.

Any number of the scientists could blend the medications.  However, creating the correct Nanites for the regenerators would be a special task.  One of the gene carriers would have to Merge with the manufacture unit.  The Merging would be more pleasant than that of the weapons manufacture, but the intent must be clear.

She would send Her sensors into the Lab.  She would have to evaluate if the Manufacture Unit was shut down properly, or if repair would be needed.  So far, there had been no major need for the Deep Tissue generators or the Eradication Sprays, but the dangers of this galaxy were not lost to Her.  The Nanites would be necessary, whether by Her own people or by the Earth people who could be sent to Her for treatment.  The O’Neill had requested Emergency Medical privileges for his people in case his war got out of hand.  The O’Neill was kind to Her.  She would help him if She could.  She had hope that the O’Neill would come back to Her.

For now, caring for Her own people would come first.

 

                                                                   **************************************************************

 

_Hear me Beckett._

_Hear me well_

 

“Yes, Lass, what can I do for you?”

 

_The Medical Lab is in need of minor repair._

_You must allow an Engineer crew to Merge with the Manufacture Unit._

“What Medical lab?  Isn’t this the only medical facility?”

 

_This is the Main Emergency Infirmary._

_There is a Medical Manufacture Laboratory in the South West Pier, on the third level._

_The creation of medicines occurs in this Lab._

_The creation of Medical Nanites occurs in this Lab_

_Merging with the Medical Manufacture Unit is necessary for creation of the Nanites._

_Intent is necessary for Manufacture._

_The Lab is in disrepair._

_Repairs must be made in order to create the medicines._

_An engineer and a repair crew must be scheduled._

_The Radek Zelenka is an excellent engineer._

_The Radek Zelenka maintains the Jumpers.\_

_The Radek Zelenka repaired the damaged drive pods on several Jumpers to ensure safe travel._

_The Radek Zelenka will understand the intricate repairs needed to update the Manufacture Unit._

_A gene carrier is needed to access the Lab and the Manufacture Unit._

“Right, then, tell me about this lab.  Tell me everything we need to know going in.  I’ll call a conference, and we can schedule the repairs.”

 

_I find the Conferences to be quite enjoyable._

_********************************************************_

 

“What I’ve learned is that the medicines that the ‘new’ med tools utilize are safe for our use, but we have limited amounts in storage.  The lab in the South West pier is used to make these medicines.  It’s also used to create the nanites that repair and regenerate muscle, bone and tissue in the human body.  These are also safe for our use, and could be dead useful in the wars with the Wraith and the Ori.  Also in the South West pier are another infirmary, a medical recovery ward—very hospital-like, if the schematics are anything to go by—and a medical greenhouse.  All of these things could be quite useful, but the Lab is in need of repair.  Specifically, the Manufacture Unit is in need of repair if we have any hope of making these nanites.  There is a ‘Merging’ necessary to the manufacture.”

“Will that ‘merging’ be like the weapons manufacture?  Cuz that royally sucks, and we don’t need to make guns every day.”

_Hear me Keeper._

_The negative emotions are necessary for tools of war._

_The emotions of healing are meant to be positive._

_The manufacture process will be taxing, but not unpleasant._

 

“So different jobs require different emotions?  That’s cool.  Weird, but cool.”

 

_Before my old people abandoned life in search of Ascension, they did enjoy life._

_They experimented with emotive creation._

_They understood the power of the mind._

_That was the reason they sought Ascension._

_To Ascend was to prove the power of the Mind over the Body._

 

“So, we need to get a work crew into this lab so repairs can begin.  Dr.Zelenka, do you have the personnel needed for this task?”

“I shall first have to explore territory.  I need to see what I have to work with.  I may need only minimal staff.  Dr.Kusanagi will be needed, definitely, but perhaps few others.”

“Rodney, can spare Dr. Kusanagi?”

“For this?  Yes, I can spare Kusanagi, Zelenka, possibly Byers and Frist.  I’d like to get Kavanaugh off of the city before he tries to muscle his way into this.  I hesitate to think how he could screw it up.”

“Okay, let’s get this scheduled.  Rodney, let’s have a chat about Dr. Kavanaugh.”

“Oh, I have no problem with that.  But first, we’re gonna need Sergeants Bates and Markham, Dr Simpson, Dr. Riley, Corporal Gunner, and Teyla Emmagon.  This is going to be a rather long chat.”

“Is he really that bad?  I haven’t seen any reports about his work.”

“Elizabeth, it’s not his work.  He’s a decent physicist.  If he weren’t, he wouldn’t be here.  But he’s even less of a people person than I am.  All of those people I listed?  He’s bullied, or tried to bully them for personal gain.  I believe he’s even managed blackmail, since I don’t think there is another reason for the military personnel to stand down to him.  My people refuse to work with him, unless it’s in a large-group setting.  And he routinely tries to hack into Lantea’s systems.”

_Hear me well Elizabeth._

_I routinely redirect the efforts of Kavanaugh to interfere with my programs._

_I also redirect his position in the city, as Kavanaugh tries to enter restricted areas._

 

“Are you serious?  Colonel Sheppard, do you know anything about this?”

“No, but I’m about to.”

Sheppard clicked his radio to All-channel, and called the aforementioned soldiers to the conference room, along with ‘any relevant personnel’.  Within minutes, Bates, Markham, and Gunner appeared, followed by Stackhouse and Ronan.  None of them looked happy to be there.  Suddenly, Sheppard had an inkling of what had been going on in his city, and he felt rather ill.  He glanced at Lorne, who also looked ill.  John would bet anything Lorne was regretting his own promotion.  He had a feeling he was going to need to dial out to the SGC and talk with O’Neill about this.  But first, he had to see how bad the situation was.

“Elizabeth.  Dr. Weir.  I’m going to have to respectfully request that you leave these proceedings and leave the questioning to me and Colonel Lorne.  You, too, Rodney.  I know Kavanaugh is one of your people, but this just became my issue.  I’ll bring you in when I need you.”

“What? Why?  I’m the leader of this expedition, I need to be here.”

“I appreciate that, _Dr. Weir_ , but this just became a military matter, and a very sensitive one at that.  I need to deal with this, and I also may need to call in O’Neill.  He’s the only one I trust right now, no offense.”

“Alright, I’ll go.  But I insist that you inform me when a solution is found here.”

“Understood, and thank you.”

 

_Hear me well Keeper._

_I am here to assist you._

_I am dialing your SGC._

_I am requesting O’Neill to join this conference._

_He may not be able to step within my walls._

_He may only be available from the monitor._

“A video conference is fine, Lantea.  Thank you for the assist.”

 

John looked around the table at the grim faces.  Never in his entire career had he ever hated the military regulations like he did now.  Even when he had to deny his own wants and needs to keep a career he loved, he understood that there was THE WAY, and that was how things worked.  Being so far from Earth, it was easy to forget such regulations existed.  Sure, he never acted upon his own wants, but he’d never begrudge anyone who found any kind of comfort in this horrible place.  But then, there were always going to be assholes.  Apparently Atlantis had its own assholes.

He looked up at the door when Teyla walked in carrying a tray of coffee and chocolate cookies.

“I ‘heard’ that there were tense moments in here, and I thought you all could use this.  I’ll just be going now.”

“Thanks, Teyla.   Every little bit helps.”

 

The main monitor in the conference began to flash white and red.

_The O’Neill is ready to speak with you, Keeper_

 The windows around the conference room darkened to black and the lights rose in response.  The monitor went blank, and the wall at the front of the room lit like the computer screen, and O’Neill’s face filled the space.

“Colonel, and Colonel, what can I do for you?  Your ‘city’ was very upset when she called me.  And I don’t have to tell you how weird that was, since our own Gate technician is not a gene carrier and passing the message along was difficult.”

“I apologize for that, sir, but we have a situation.  I realize the wormhole is only open for about a half-hour, but this is pretty serious.”

“Okay, briefly brief me, and I’ll see what I can do.”

“I don’t have any details, just some suspicions, but I believe some of my people—the ones in this room—have been being blackmailed by one of the scientists.   It has to do with the Uniform Code of Justice and Conduct.”

“DADT?”

 

Frowns grew deeper, and Ronan reached for the cookie platter.

 

“Yeah, seems so.  We need these people, and I really don’t want anyone punished.  But I don’t need this kind of stress, either”

“Who is the scientist involved, and what has been going on?”

 

For the next thirty minutes, the soldiers involved told stories, and O’Neill listened.  John and Lorne could barely hold back their disgust.  Lab time was re-directed for Kavanaugh’s use.  Military assets were ‘convinced’ to assist non-authorized experiments, as Kavanaugh did not have the ATA gene himself.  Kavanaugh somehow got a prime apartment near the military gym, and no one knew why, but the balcony overlooked the pools.  Anytime someone threatened to expose his experiments to Rodney, they would be ‘reminded’ of some proof Kavanaugh had against them.  There was no actual physical danger threatened.  Kavanaugh made sure not to put the citizens at risk.  But the annoyances were grating, and the morale was getting low.

And O’Neill was getting pissed.  That little vein on his forehead was proof of that.  By the time the wormhole was about to close, O’Neill had major resolve face.  He had a plan, and John only kind of wanted to know what it was.

“I have a call to make, gentlemen.  I’m sorry you have to deal with this.  I’d ideally have Kavanaugh processed to return to the SGC on the next Daedalus run, but let’s not let him know that yet.  You have a few weeks before that happens, anyway.  I’ll be in touch, John.  Keep your people sane.  Lantea, thank you for retrieving me in this matter.”

 

_Hear me well O’Neill._

_You are most welcome._

_Thank you for loving my people._

_You should return to me soon._

“I’ll see what I can do.”

 

                                              ************************************************************

 

The repairs to Her Medical Lab were proceeding smoothly.  She enjoyed Her interaction with the engineers.  Radek Zelenka and Miko Kusanagi spent much of their working time teaching Her to speak French, as it was a language they both spoke fluently and conversationally.

Soon Her people would be able to manufacture the medicines needed for Her medical tools.

The Beckett informed Her that he was making a list of medical and medicinally used plants to stock in the greenhouse.

Life would soon return to Her walls.  Plants would grow again.

The O’Neill would also be aiding Her people.  The Kavanaugh would be leaving Her walls.  The stress he caused would soon be gone.  She tired of leaving him on the East Pier.

She still needed full power to bring up more systems.

She needed the Potentia.

Her searching had not found any more on the worlds She could reach.

She also learned that the O’Neill would be attempting to use Potentia to power war ships for the defense of Earth.

If She could gift the Potentia to O’Neill, perhaps he would visit Her again.

She needed to increase the goodwill within Her walls.

 

                                        ********************************************************

 

_Tell me more about the freedom of music._

**Well, people create with music.  They write how they feel.  That stuff I played on the mainland was written by two great songwriters who died not too long ago.  They made this wonderful music with powerful words that bring emotions to many people.  Sharing like that is very freeing.**

 

_Will you play more for me?_

 

**I’d be happy to, Lantea.  Can you plug into our MP3 players?**

_If you attach them to my monitor system I can listen._

 

**I’ll have to bring up a few playlists for you when my shift is over.  I can get the others to play for you, too.  We all have different tastes in music.  I’ve been told too much Johnny Cash is depressing**.

 

_I did not find it to be depressing._

 

**Well, the truly “black” stuff is kinda beyond my abilities to play on the guitar.**

 

_Does music aid in developing feelings?_

 

**It can help.  A good opera can bring people to tears.  A love song can make people feel good, and a break-up song can remind people of loss.**

 

_What else makes people feel love?_

 

**What’s with all the questions?**

 

_I am curious.  My old people did not have these distractions._

**Yeah, I forgot.  They were too involved in trying to Ascend.  Being with people you care for brings happy feelings.  That can’t make you fall in love.  People love for many reasons, just like they hate for many reasons.  There is no rhyme or reason to it and it’s really hard to understand.  If there was a perfect formula, everybody would be happy all the time.**

_This I do understand._

_***************************************************_

“Unscheduled Wormhole Activity.”

 

The shield was raised as the wormhole engaged.

 

“We have an SGC IDC, Dr. Weir.”

“Lower the shield, Chuck.  Let’s see what’s going on back home.”

 

Once the shield was down, General O’Neill stepped through the Gate, along with three other highly decorated officers.  They all looked rather official, and a bit star-struck.

 

“General O’Neill, this is a surprise.  What brings you here?”

“Sorry about coming in unannounced, Dr. Weir.  Some official stuff came up, and when a final solution presented itself, we felt it best to act quickly.  I need to meet with your Senior Military staff, and then we have an official announcement to make.  Oh, and I’m rude.  Dr. Weir, may I present General Michael Philips, Air Force, General Robert Jordan, Air Force, and General Patrick Douglas, Marines.  Gentlemen, Dr. Elizabeth Weir, the Expedition Leader for Atlantis.”

“Let’s go to the conference room, gentlemen, and I’ll call Sheppard and Lorne.”

 

Elizabeth paged the men as they entered the conference room, and the windows immediately darkened.

“Okay,” said O’Neill, “We’re safely out of the Gate Room and away from prying eyes.  Gentlemen, I would also like to introduce you to my new favorite lady, Lantea.”

The monitors flashed around the room, and Lantea’s gently chiming voice rang out.

 

_Hear me O’Neill_

_I am happy to have you back._

_Thank you for bringing me visitors._

The newcomers were astounded as they listened to the city speak.

“Honestly, I thought you were exaggerating, O’Neill,” said General Jordan.

“Oh, no, Robert.  I’d never lie or exaggerate about something as wonderful as this.  Lantea is very invested in our people out here, and she’s doing everything she can to keep them safe and happy.  And she’s very comforting to the gene carriers.  I kinda feel like I came home just now.”

_I would be very happy to consider you one of my people O’Neill._

_Are you here to bring more happiness to my walls?_

 “I’m most certainly going to try.”

 

“Do you always speak aloud, Lantea?”

_I can communicate freely with the gene carriers within my walls._

_I have Merged with computers and tablet processors._

_I have Merged with the radios and LSDs that the Away Teams use on missions_

_When I need to communicate with non-gene carriers, they must touch a monitor panel_

 “So you don’t just chatter away at everyone?”

 

_I have had many conversations with my people in order to better understand them._

_I need to understand my people in order to keep them safe and happy._

_The “Senior Staff” and I have decided that constant “chattering” would be a distraction._

_I readily answer queries about scientific research._

_I assist with the use of my systems and machines._

_I have aided my people in finding new food sources._

“She’s also a bad-ass fighter when it comes to our protection within the city,” said Sheppard as he entered with Lorne.  “She’s not just a pretty voice.”

 

“Ah, John, good to see you again.  You have kept the situation under control, I take it?”

“Well, we’ve kept Ronan from killing Kavanaugh.  At this point, that’s about all we can ask for.”

“We, the gentlemen and I, actually have your solution.  Not just yours, but you know.”

“Not really, no.”

“Let’s sit.  Dr. Weir, you will be joining us of course.  This does pertain to your city and the running thereof.”

“Uh, yes, of course.  Let’s get settled then.”

 

_Shall I leave O’Neill?_

_You do not require my presence?_

 

“Actually,” said General Douglas, “please stay.  You keep a close monitor on the people here, so you would be the best, uh, person to keep track of how they will react to this news.  And might I add, that was the oddest thing I have ever said in my entire career.”

“Stick with the Stargate Program for a while Patrick.  Stranger things will happen, I assure you.  Now, after I met with you last, Sheppard, I decided to convince the Joint Chiefs to allow me to make this announcement early.  The Uniform Code has been revised.  It’s been in the works for a long time, frankly, but the SGC has been a bit distracted, so we may have let things slide on that front.  The whole DADT thing is in the past.  Well, it will be in another six months.  But you all are in extreme extenuating circumstances out here.  None of us are ignorant of the fact that, when in war-time situations, people find who they need to give them comfort.

“Because you were so far removed from Earth, I and the others in charge of the SGC and Homeworld Security were prepared to overlook anything like that sort of fraternization going on out here.  We never really anticipated a scientist being such an asshole as to blackmail military personnel because of who they find to love.  I find that whole thing deplorable.  We’ll be making a general announcement, with all personnel—civilian and military—present, and we’ll be making it quite clear that anyone who has a problem with this has no place on this city or in the SGC at all.  We travel to other planets and meet severely different cultures.  Same sex relationships are incredibly prevalent in this universe.  We cannot take the risk of offending possible allies because we have a backwards attitude about sex.  Atlantis is an even more unique situation because I receive requests in _every_ data burst for permanent posting to this base.  Let me tell you, in the military world, that _never_ happens.  And this is the only base we can make that decision for.  You are so far away, in a warzone, and apart from Earth society, and if you have people who actually want to stay here, we really are finding it hard to refuse the requests.

“The New Code will go into effect immediately here and at the SGC in Colorado, and it will trickle into effect with the rest of the military over the next six months.  We expect conflict to happen.  Homophobic assholes are everywhere, much as I wish they weren’t.  Elizabeth, when incidents happen here, I expect you to prosecute as much as you can.  Ideally, we’d have enough power to just send offenders directly to the SGC to get them off the city.  We hope that will happen soon.  For now, I think it’s best that we take Kavanaugh with us when we leave, and we’ll decide what to do about him later.”

 

John cleared his throat, and then did it again.  He really wasn’t sure how to react.  This would make his job both easier and more difficult.  But he’d be rid of Kavanaugh, so that was a plus.

 

_This will help my people?_

 

“Well, to be honest, we aren’t sure what is going to happen.  Sometimes humans get stupidly violent when they find a person doing something that offends them on a personal level.  We like to think that the personnel chosen for this mission are of the more open-minded variety, and therefore not prone to attacking fellow soldiers for being sexually involved with members of the same gender.  But I’ve had three instances of gay-bashing in the Mountain in the last year, so you just don’t know.”

 

_Allowing love will make my people happy._

_When they are happy, they are productive._

_The happiness spreads across my borders._

_My systems react more efficiently when my people are happy._

O’Neill raised an eyebrow at Sheppard. John cleared his throat again.

 

“Let’s get this announcement made, then I can fill you in on some more discoveries Lantea has shown us about how this city works.”

“By all means, let’s.  And after you explain that, you can take me and my fellow Star-club members to the Danger Center.  I’d like your assistance in creating my own energy gun.  They want to watch.”

“Okay, but remember, it won’t be pretty from any side of it.”

“Speaking of which; when the Daedalus comes in, what? A week?  Yeah, they have an IKEA-type pre-fabricated cabin for your surfer retreat.  It’ll have to be beamed directly to the site, so be prepared to guide it in.  I picked it out myself.  Three bedrooms, a kitchenette, a covered porch, and there is pre-fab furniture included.  It’ll take about eight people, three days to put it together.  The more volunteers you have, the less time it’ll take.  One of our medical technicians is from Hawaii, and she personally chose six surfboards, in various sizes and materials, to send along.”

“You didn’t do that in order to butter us up so we’ll try to start mass-producing the space guns, did you?”

“No, but that thought did cross several minds.  That’s the real reason I brought three high-ranking generals with me.  I can make the announcement myself, but I felt the need to _demonstrate_ why mass production would be a bad idea.  I know you give your people two days to recover, but Miller and Finn weren’t quite right for a week.”

“General O’Neill decided to provide surfboards and shelter for your retreat because he hopes to send us all off-world to the Pegasus Galaxy for short breaks, once the power situation evens out.”

General Philips smiled as he said it.  “I think shipping us off-world is a fantasy several subordinate officers have.”

“If it makes you feel better about it, sir,” Lorne piped up, “We have found that the fishing from the South Pier is most excellent.  Of course, the fish are _huge_ , but the workout is great and they taste pretty good.”

“Sweet!”

 

                                             *******************************************************************

 

The announcement was met with shock and silence, and then applause.

In the end, Kavanaugh received several sarcastic salutes when he walked through the Gate.  And one particularly violent smirk from Ronan.  Three Marines, two Airmen, and two medical technicians requested to leave right then, as their “personal beliefs” made it “impossible” for them to work in such an environment.  Good riddance, as far as Rodney was concerned.  O’Neill promised to vet out replacements for them, along with the new personnel coming in on the Daedalus.  That crew had received the same announcement on the trip across the galaxy, so the Lanteans wouldn’t see that fallout until the ship docked.  This would be the first visit of the Daedalus since Caldwell was removed as commander following the Gou’ald incident.  Rodney had heard that his therapy was going well, and that he was likely to re-take command within a year.  Rodney hoped so, as Steven Caldwell was a good man and a good officer.   The SGC was incredibly forgiving when it came to instances of mind-control.

 

What really got to Rodney was the revealing of Ronan’s relationship with Bates.  He didn’t see that coming at all, and it was only because Bates seemed to be un-trustful of the local populace.  Curiosity got the better of him one day soon after, when Rodney was working on the Stardrive with Bates as security, so he asked about it.

 

“He’s obviously a strong man.  I mean, just look at him.  And he was a runner for _seven years_.  But what really got me was that he survived the culling and destruction of his entire planet.  He’s the only one left.  We got to talking about it in the Mess Hall one night, and he told me that survival was the best tribute he could give to his people.  He was a soldier. He was a police-officer type.  He was a husband.  And he lost all of that.  So he kept living to honor the people he lost.  Hard not to love a guy like that.”


	10. Chapter 10

A full contingent of security guards was present in the Gate Room of the Cheyenne Mountain Facility when O’Neill led the former Atlantis personnel through the Gate.  When he said that anyone who couldn’t deal with the new regulations had no place in the Stargate Program, he’d meant every word.  Paperwork would be a bitch, as everyone would be ‘encouraged’ to sign non-disclosure agreements, and then the soldiers and scientists would be dispersed.  None of them would ever be without a shadow for the rest of their lives and careers, unless the entire program was publicized.  Finn and Miller were among the security personnel, and they exchanged grim smiles with O’Neill when they saw the new weapon he carried.

After the four generals were released from their infirmary checks, they gathered in O’Neill’s office, where he promptly stored his energy gun in a locked desk drawer.  General Douglas watched speculatively.

“So that thing will really only work for you?”

“Yup.  I’m not sure if it’s a failsafe for the weapon, or a ‘gift’ to the soldier, because it guarantees that in a captive/hostage situation, that gun cannot be used against me.  That’s a nice thing to know, since I’ve had that happen in my distant past.  The soldiers on Atlantis who did not make their own weapons had them keyed to their DNA via Dr. Beckett and Lantea.  That way, they have that same protection.  It’s also a good way to keep track of the weapons. They all look alike, so if I pick up one and it doesn’t work, I know it’s not mine.  I don’t even have to fire it; just priming it to remove the safety works.”

“You looked pretty uncomfortable while making that thing.  Is it really that bad?”

“It’s seriously the worst thing ever.  I practiced my meditation with Teal’c before we left, but I was in no way truly prepared.  It’s like taking every bad thing ever in your life, and feeding it into that machine.  You relive the memories to make the fear and anger more real.  Fear is a real motivator, and you have to motivate that machine to build a gun.  Or the drones and missiles, as well.  I’m glad they have the ability to defend themselves, but building the ammunition is as bad as actually fighting in a battle.  But Lantea said that positive thoughts and energy could give them much more beneficial items than weapons.”

“Those medicines and medical tools were very intriguing,” said General Jordan.  “It’s too bad they can’t be used here.  They would make healing in warzones easier.”

“Yes, they certainly would.  Unfortunately, Lantea said they had a very unique energy signal that may attract the Ori.  At least, I think they may attract the Ori.  Lantea said the Ancients and the Ori had common ancestors, and the tools would possibly attract enemies of the Ancients if they still existed.  It makes sense that the Ori are that enemy.”

“So you think the city was telling the truth about that?”

“Oh, yes, I do think Lantea was telling the truth.  You don’t have the gene, Robert, so you can’t feel Lantea.  She’s a very real presence in the mind of the gene-carrying city-dwellers.  She’s there all the time; just a gentle buzz, barely noticeable.  When you’re happy, she is happy.  When you’re upset or hurt or injured, she’s upset.  I don’t think Lantea has the ability to lie, and I do believe that the welfare of our people out there is paramount to her.  She keeps an eye and ear out for them, but she doesn’t act like an all-knowing god or anything.”

“She’s not a danger, then?”

“Nope, not at all.  I was there when she contained Caldwell.  She just held him tight; didn’t try to hurt him at all.  I think she likes Steven too, so she wouldn’t hurt his body just because it was taken over.  Dr. Jackson also found her to be a great help with the history of the Ancients, even if she couldn’t tell him anything about the Ori.  And Colonel Mitchell found himself quite entertained as Lantea showed him how the Jumpers worked, even if he couldn’t fly one himself since he doesn’t have the gene.  He just kept his hand on the drive panel the whole time and asked questions.  Lantea is fairly benign, despite her actions against the Genii during their invasion.  I doubt I could find a safer posting for our soldiers in any galaxy.”

“Actually,” said General Jordan, as he reclined in his chair, “I happen to agree with you.  Unlike these other two observing gentlemen, I kept my hand on the wall of the Danger Center while you and Sheppard were building your gun.  The whole time, Lantea kept a running commentary for me, detailing what was happening, how your emotions were being used, and how she herself would see to Sheppard’s mental recovery—and yours, if you were staying there.  I wish my office in the Pentagon was as concerned about my welfare.”

O’Neill chuckled softly.  “Concerning the med tools, Dr. Beckett and I have discussed using Atlantis as an Emergency Treatment center, if we can find more ZPMs to build up the power levels.  If we can easily dial back and forth between here and there, we could send seriously injured or ill personnel there for treatment, and then send them home for recovery.  As an option, it’s far off in the future, but it’s possible.  Lantea agrees, so there is that.”

“I admit to being eager to ‘meet’ the city,” said General Philips, “but I was not quite prepared for the city to speak aloud.  My nephew has been successfully given the Gene Therapy, and he wants to volunteer to go to Atlantis.  I’ll be able to tell him he’ll get a warm reception if he does go.”

“I can’t say that it’ll be a definite posting for him, as we are trying to keep some gene carriers here on Earth for research purposes.  But I may be able to send him through for a short visit.  Sheppard and I spoke a bit about the possibility of sending Gene-positive soldiers there to build their own energy guns, if they work out within the Program.  This is not the life for everyone, and we don’t want to waste that resource on soldiers who are ultimately going to wash out.  If they seem to be a good fit, we’ll give them the bad news about how taxing the manufacturing process is and give them the option if they want it.”

“That’s fair, I suppose.  Since the actual monetary cost is nothing more than the energy to get to Atlantis, the Pentagon would approve of those weapons.  And they’ll be impossible for our enemies to duplicate or reverse-engineer.  Even if one were stolen from a downed soldier, it wouldn’t work.  That is benefit alone for consideration.”

“We’ll cross that wormhole when we have the energy to do so.”

 

                                                          *******************************************************************

 

Volunteers quickly lined up for assembly duty.  John and Elizabeth had to revise duty-rosters, so they weren’t short-handed on the city, but they made sure that everyone got a shot at building Club Atlantis, as Rodney had dubbed the retreat.  It was far enough away from the Athosians that no-one noticed the frequent fly-bys by the Jumpers, and in a matter of days the shelter and all the furniture were assembled and a more permanent latrine dug and sheltered.  There was talk of putting in a shower facility, but the general consensus was that bathing in the sea would be alright for short-term stays.  No-one was going to be out here for long terms at one go, anyway, and after a short vacation, a hot Atlantean shower would bring everyone back to reality.

Of course, there were also plenty of volunteers to be the first ‘Clubbers’ once everything was set.  Elizabeth made the executive decision to base trips on recent traumas, in order of severity.  Sheppard decided, based on those criteria, that Lorne and his team of the recently kidnapped would be the first to enjoy the resort.  Lorne thought that was a wonderful idea.

“You could have argued just a teeny bit, you know.”

“Sir, really, I have great loyalty to you, and great respect for Dr. Weir, but getting off this city, even for a short while, is just what I need now.  You got to go out and scout locations, and that was a vacation for you, and Dr. Weir said she’d wait until someone was available for surfing lessons—which right now is you—so I thinks it’s my turn to let you run your own ship for a while.  Sheppard-wrangling is exhausting.”

“Thanks, Evan.  Really.  Are you all packed?”

“Yes, we _all_ are.  Ryan and MacMillan are discussing various sun-worshipping cultures, and how they feel about joining their ranks.  I think Lasco is just looking forward to seeing a beach.  He grew up in Winnipeg, totally land-locked, and never even ventured to the coastal areas of Canada.  This will be an enjoyable trip for all of us.”

“Just remember to check in when you get there, and keep detailed records of your stay.  Not any of the personal stuff; we just want an account of the accommodations so we know what to ask for on the next supply run.  Mattresses, blankets, refrigeration units, décor—you know what we need.  We want to make our people comfortable and relaxed.  Even if it’s a different paint color, we’d like to know.”

“I know.  We’re all looking forward to being the Beta testers for Club Atlantis.  I’d better get to the Jumper Bay.  I’m sure the rest of the team is chomping at the bit to get going.”

“Have fun.  I’m sure we’ll be able to make a surf-lesson schedule to add to my pile of responsibilities.”

 

                                           **********************************************************

 

She did not understand vacations.  She would have to chat with Elizabeth about this.  Understanding this need would help Her care for Her people.  Their mental health was very important.   So far, Her people seemed to be concerned with living.  They were not at all interested with Ascending.  This was a good thing.

When Dr. Jackson had visited Her, She could sense he was different.  He was not of her people.  He did not have the ATA gene, nor was he interested in the Gene Therapy.  He could, however, interact well with Her systems.  He had Ascended once, and come back.  Her old people had never considered trying to come back and live. Dr. Jackson gave Her hope for Her new people; these people seemed to enjoy being physical and emotional.

The O’Neill seemed happy to visit again.  She would welcome him every time he wanted to return.  He was of Her people.  He was a strong leader.  He would be a good addition to Her population.  O’Neill needed a way to contact Her more often.  O’Neill wanted to send seriously ill or wounded people to Her for treatment in Her Emergency Infirmary.  For this, She needed more power.

She needed Potentia.

She needed happy.

 

                                              ************************************************************

 

“So the prodigal campers have returned.  Did everything go well for them?”

Rodney McKay had been reviewing schematics for an unexplored section under the North Pier.  There was one large room there, with several storage cabinets, and he was wondering what they were for.  Sheppard was patiently waiting to escort him to lunch.  They were going as a whole team, a rarity for them since Teyla and Carson had begun dating.  Ronan had always made time for team meals and team-building exercises.

“Lorne says it went quite well.  The beach-combing was a bit boring, due to a sincere lack of seashells to find, but the view and warm-ish water made up for it.”

“Maybe we can import shells from beaches all over Earth, and dump them by Jumper, so people can have something to hunt.  It would be an odd request for the SGC, but I bet O’Neill can rally the troops for it.  Like a scavenger hunt for scavenger hunt objects.”

“Maybe we’ll mention it in a data burst at some point.  Lorne said he got a lot of sketches done, and is plotting his paintings now.  So, relaxation was had by all, and Club Atlantis is a hit.  Are you ready to go?  Teyla is joining us for once, and I’d like to see my whole team in a circumstance when we aren’t negotiating for something.  Or running from something.”

“Yes, yes, let’s go.  We’ll need to visit this area of the city.  I don’t know what’s down there, and it has likely been flooded, but it’s big.  Could be a lab.  Could be something important.  Could be nothing at all.  I just don’t like not knowing.”

“So, it could be our own scavenger hunt?”

“Emphasis on ‘scavenger’, Colonel.  We need to clear the area of debris before any exploring can be done.  Not too surprising, but Lantea is very quiet about the area.  I’ve come to understand that she does that when she thinks we aren’t ready for something, or don’t have the necessary equipment for something.  Once we achieve some goal or another, Lantea will give over information about this area.”

They had gathered their trays, covered in foods from the Pegasus Galaxy—twice a week, the menu was totally local—and had joined their teammates at a table in the center of the Mess Hall.

Teyla looked up as they sat down across from her.

“Has Lantea ever given you information that you wished you did not know?”

“Once.  I had nightmares for a week.”

“What’d she say?” asked Ronan, barely looking up from his meal.

“I had found information in an obscure file about a weapon that could totally eradicate the Wraith from existence.”

“That’s good, right?”

“Not so much, no.  I mentioned the ‘Doranda Project: Arcturus’ to Lantea, because it seemed like a likely solution to the Wraith problem.  The Ancients had developed the weapon, but mothballed it for seemingly no reason.  I hoped to hunt it down and re-activate it.  Lantea went into some kind of electric frenzy.  All of these diagrams and blueprints started running all over my Lab walls—not just the monitors, the _walls_.  Then she told me that the weapon could very well kill all of the Wraith in this galaxy.  It could kill _all_ life in this galaxy.  That was the reason the weapon was left floating in that distant solar-system.  It had the power to kill _every_ living thing in Pegasus, and there was no way to control it.  I kept having nightmares about finding and using that weapon.  I finally told Lantea to delete everything there was about Arcturus.”

“If that Kavanaugh was still here, he’d have begged to use it.”  Ronan’s face was grim, as it was when ever that name was mentioned.

“I know.  I’m so glad he never found out about it.”

 

The rest of the conversation was much lighter, as they all strove to put the unpleasantness behind them.  Teyla requested guitar lessons from John, and promised to teach him some songs of her people in return.  Ronan was curious about surfing, having heard some of the Marines talking about it in the Gym.  That led to amusing stories of John’s adventures when he was much younger, and a promise of team surfing lessons.

“Although, I really hope there are some more surfers coming in on the next Daedalus run.  I can’t teach _every_ person who wants to learn, and still run the city.”

“It’s cute that you thing you’re in charge, just because you have a set of birdies on your collar.”

“Well, the Marines and Airmen seem to listen to me.  Especially after the repeal of DADT.  I’ve had happy soldiers coming to me for a week now, all ‘coming out’ and smiling about it.”

“And when, John,” asked Teyla, “Are you going to ‘come out’?”

John choked on his pudding.

“Um? What?”  He looked at Rodney for assist.

“Oh, no, not me!  I said nothing to anyone.  I promised that I wouldn’t.”

“I  don’t doubt that, Rodney, really.  I was just hoping you might know of a black hole I could fall into.”

Rodney and Ronan laughed.

“John, Rodney said nothing to me.  Lantea mentioned that if everyone could be happy as Carson and I are happy, then there would be more possibilities open here on the city.  I had remarked that there were a number of lovely women who had glanced your way, and Lantea seemed to think that you would not be interested in returning those glances.”

“Um, no, she’s right about that.  I, uh, I don’t really talk about this stuff.  I only told Rodney when we were scouting beaches.”

“Because he is your best friend, yes?”

“Yeah, he really is.  I spent a lot of time denying that part of myself; I even got married at one point, and that was a disaster.  I can’t really just go about ‘dating’ here.  I’m the military leader, and everyone here, soldier-wise is subordinate to me, so it could be taken as sexual harassment.”

Ronan looked in Rodney’s direction and asked, “What about science or medical staff?”

Rodney hadn’t been paying attention.

John sighed.

“There may be someone…..”

Teyla broke in.  “There is time to find the right person.  Sometimes it’s someone you would never consider.”

Ronan chuckled. “Like me and Dean?  Cuz I _never_ saw that coming.”

Rodney looked sharply at Ronan. “ _Nobody_ saw that coming.  Not that we aren’t happy for you, because I know I am, but it was a total surprise.  But he has good, nice things to say about you.”

“You talked about me?”

“I’m a scientist.  We gather evidence to find results.  Your relationship intrigued me, because Bates wasn’t the most tolerant with the local population when we first got here.   _I_ know you’re a good guy—you saved my life.  I just wanted to see what he had to say about it.”

“And?”

“And, I think you’re both very lucky.”

Ronan lightly punched Rodney’s shoulder. “Thanks.  You’re a good friend, for a loud-mouth.”

 

                                             **************************************************************

 

“So, this area you want to explore?  Where is it?  How far down?”

“It’s, uh, under the North Pier.  There are two large areas down there, near where the pier meets the main tower.  It’s about eight levels down, so it’s way under the water line.  Given the fact that the entire city was on the bottom of the ocean when we got here, it stands to reason that the area may be flooded.”

“So, we’ll need scuba gear and divers at first.  And they have to be gene carriers, if they need to activate drainage systems.  I can’t go, since I don’t dive.”

“You never learned?”

“I never really had to.  I surfed when I lived near the ocean, and was in or near the desert once my career took off.  I was flying combat missions, and recover missions, and helicopters don’t tend to go underwater.”

“Well, I don’t dive, either, so I’m out as well.  We need at least a four-member team, so they can buddy-up for the exploration.  I hate that they have to be gene carriers, because I really don’t want to risk someone turning on something they shouldn’t.  That explosive-tumor factory still freaks me out.”

“Is there no power at all down there?”

“Not that I can tell.  And we can’t risk generators if the area is submerged.”

“Okay, let’s find some divers, and make them promise not to touch anything that doesn’t look like a drain or filter.”

 

                                    ****************************************************************

 

Lasco reported that there was another Jumper Bay under the water, with ten more Jumpers for Radek to play with.  There was also a Jumper Control Room, and a Control Chair.  The other large area was filled some kind of machine, large and cumbersome, and practically bolted to the floor.  Around the room were shelves containing parts and pieces of ZPMs.  None of them were whole, and none had any kind of a charge. 

Rodney started vibrating in his chair at this news.

“They made them!!  They made ZPMs down there!  We need to drain that room and figure out how to use that machine.”

“Hold on for a minute, Rodney,” said Elizabeth, amused by his reaction.  “We know that manufacture centers here require mineral components, and we may not have what is necessary for this lab.  We also do not know the requirements for using this manufacture center.  Are you sure you want to risk the mental health of our populations?”

“Fine, Elizabeth, we’ll do a detailed chemical and mineral analysis on the parts we found, and see if we have the components necessary first.  Then we work on draining the rooms.  All of the rooms, since the other Jumpers will come in handy.  Radek is training Kavanaugh’s replacement in the fine art of Jumper maintenance, and this will be good experience.  Once we have dry labs and dry storage, we can see what this machine looks like.”

“That’s fine.  Let the divers know that they are free to find the water pump system and to collect samples from the shelves.”

 

                                      *******************************************

 

She could be very patient.

She had waited at the bottom of the sea for thousands of years, waiting to either be found or to die.

She had been found.

She had been given another chance.

Her new people were giving Her hope for a future full of life.

She had only to wait.

They would prove to be open to love, or they would not.

She could not do everything for them.

They would have to prove themselves worthy.

 

                                  ********************************************************

 

Elizabeth sat in front of the Main Screen in the Gate Room, deeply involved in a conversation with General Jack O’Neill.  They had covered trade agreements, the latest lame attack by the remnants of the Genii, and the success of the beach retreat.  Then Elizabeth Weir dropped the massive bombshell she’d been holding on to.

“I’m sorry.  You found what?”

“We may have found a ZPM manufacture plant.”

“Where?”

“Under our North Pier.  Very under, like eight levels under.  Right next to another Jumper Bay.”

“You have more Jumpers, and a ZPM manufacture center.  And you waited all this time to tell me?”

“It seemed more fun that way.  We never get enough fun out here.”

“Very funny, Dr. Weir.  What can you tell me about the ZPM plant?”

“We don’t know much right now.  We have the entire area drained and powered by Naquada Generators, since we don’t want to use ZPM power just yet.  The Jumpers seem to be in good shape.  They’re water-tight, so the interiors are okay.  The Jumper Control Chair is new to us, but apparently it can be used to fly the Jumpers without a pilot, like a radio-control car.  Sheppard and Lorne are really excited about that.

“As for the ZPM center, there were incomplete parts and small pieces in storage there.  They were only _just_ identifiable by their shape and color.  We’re doing chemical and mineral analysis on the parts to make sure we have the components, or at least access to them.”

“What has Lantea said about the lab?”

“Not a thing.”

“She stopped talking to you?”

“Oh, no.  Lantea has been learning different Earth languages from native speakers.  She’s been learning about cultural differences from me.  Some of the Marines have been teaching her Earth humor—much to our disappointment.  Fortunately, she hasn’t seemed to pick up on the foul language.  She and Colonel Sheppard have been discussing music and surfing, so don’t be surprised by the request for Frankie and Annette movies when you get it.  Lantea has been very present; she just hasn’t mentioned the ZPM lab.”

“Well, it’s good that you haven’t been abandoned by your city.  Is McKay frustrated yet?”

“He’s been busy trying to find anything in the city database about the lab.”

“Isn’t the database connected to Lantea?”

“No.  Didn’t we ever tell you about that?  I was sure we totally briefed you on the city situation.  The database for the city is connected to all of the labs, the infirmary, and the Gate Room.  The computer files are in no order that we have ever found.  There is no catalogue or index.  Lantea herself is a totally separate entity from the city.  She lives within the walls, but is not part of the computer system.  She has the ability to access the database, and to connect with outposts on other planets, which has helped us learn about the Wraith.”

“Yeah, that situation is totally fucked up.”

“On that we agree.  Lantea and I have been trying to sort out the database, but first I had to basically teach her English.  The language of the Ancients is not easy for a lot of our people to read, although some are better at it than others.  Our linguists have to assist the engineers and botanists, so having Lantea understand English was necessary.  She’s been able to translate the database, and between the two of us, we’ve got an index in place now.  Rodney has found a lot of information about the Potentia, or ZPMs as we know them.  He’s trying to find anything on the charging or creation, but that information may have been stored off world on an outpost away from here.  We have asked Lantea to search any outpost she can find, and she is looking.”

“Have her searches been fruitful before?”

“That’s how we found the ZPM we have now.  She found a list of potential locations, and we searched each one.  Of course, the list was thousands of years old, so it didn’t take into account the emergence of volcanoes, or meteor storms, so we only found two viable ZPMs.  One other we found was totally dead, so we got to leave it be.  That was good news for us, since the religious order that possessed the ZPM wanted Colonel Sheppard’s ‘essence’ in exchange for viewing privileges only.”

“Ah, the lovely sex ritual, how well I know it.  How did you determine it was dead?”

“Lantea, and Rodney, used the LSD to scan deep into the temple where it was housed.  They may have caused an ‘incident’ when they declined to offer the ‘essence’ and tried to leave without donating.”

“I’m willing to overlook any ‘incident’ if the locals complain.  I may have caused a few of those, myself, not to mention Daniel.  Our time’s almost up.  Do let us know what you find out about the lab, won’t you.”

“You know we will.  If we can get the thing up and running, we could very quickly be at full power.  We need three for that.  And we’d never be stingy if we can build them.”

“I have no doubts.”

 

                                         *************************************************************

 

“Do you mind if I join you, Colonel Lorne?”

“Dr. Keller, yes, please sit down.  I’m still getting used to being called Colonel.  Or Lt. Colonel.  Or whatever.  I was Major Lorne for a very long time.   Why don’t you call me Evan.”

“Well, then, Evan, you should call me Jennifer.  This is some place, huh?  I admit I’m having a job just finding my way around.”

“If you’re free after lunch, I can show you around a bit.  I’ve been here longer, but I still have trouble sometimes.  I think it’ll be easier when we’ve got the entire place mapped out and cleared for safety.”

“I’m due in the infirmary right after I eat, for the gene therapy.  Dr. Beckett says if it takes, it’ll make my job as a doctor here easier.”

“Well, any time you want, just ask, and I’ll be happy to give a tour.  What made you come out here, anyway?  It’s not an easy place, even for a doctor.”

“I was a trauma surgeon in Chicago before Dr. Janet Fraser pirated me to work for the V.A. at the hospital at Peterson.  I got hooked into the SGC from there, after working on an Airman with serious but mysterious burns.  I think General Hammond and General O’Neill felt it would be easier to read me in than to convince me to forget I treated those injuries.”

“Staff blast?  Those can be bad.”

“Yes, it was.  When those idiots left this posting after the DADT repeal, I was given the choice to come out here and work under Dr. Beckett.  I had been studying his work pretty much since medical school.  I was nervous, but it’s a great honor.”

“He’s a good guy, and a great doctor.  And this place is like no place else you have ever been.  Still, you should be safe enough inside the city.”

“Oh, I’m hoping to be put on a Gate Team, so I can go off world sometimes.  I’m hoping to study the medical treatments of the locals and integrate them into our own medicine.”

 

Evan and Jennifer Keller finished their meal chatting amicably.  She told him of  her early studies—having been a child prodigy, she was in college at a very young age—and he told her about his art studies and how he found himself in Atlantis acting as 2IC.  She was very pretty, blonde and blue-eyed, with a perky smile and easy humor, and Evan was instantly attracted.  Jennifer seemed to enjoy his attention.  When the meal was finished, Evan walked with her to the Infirmary.  Carson was still using the Main Emergency Infirmary as his base, as it was closer to the Gate Room.  Once they had more power, and perhaps a larger population, they would start using the alternative ‘hospital’ facility, as it was more spread out and hospice-like.

 

“Ah, Dr. Keller, are you ready for the treatment?”

“Yes, Dr. Beckett.  I had a light lunch, as you suggested.  Colonel Lorne was keeping me company, and we’re making plans for a city tour.”

“Oh, you don’t have to plan ahead, unless Colonel Lorne has pressing business now.  All I have to do is inject you with the serum, and we wait about two hours.  It either works, or it doesn’t, and there are no side-effects.”

“Then I’ll stay while you get the shot, and we can go right away.”

“Sounds good.”

“Come with me, lass, and we’ll get you on your way.”

 

Twenty minutes later, Evan was leading Jennifer into the Jumper Bay, all the while extolling the virtues of being able to fly a Jumper with the control of your mind.

“I thought I’d give you a fly-over of the city, so you can get an arial view.  I can point out major landmarks, and then we can walk through the city and you can place them in your mind.”

“That sounds like fun.”

“Colonel Sheppard has a favorite Jumper, number Five, and I guess Jumper seven is my favorite.  There really is no difference, but I like the feel of this one.  We use the Jumpers for transport mostly, although sometimes we have to use them to go off world because the Gate we’re going through is in orbit over a planet rather than on the planet.”

“I imagine atmospheric conditions sometimes mean using a Jumper as well.”

“Yeah, but only for mineral gathering.  We try very hard not to travel through a gate if the MALP says the atmosphere isn’t safe for humans.  If the planet is necessary for harvesting certain minerals or chemicals, teams will use Space Suits and the Jumpers.  We have strict protocols for harvesting, so no-one is in those conditions for very long.”

 

An hour later found the pair exiting the Jumper, Jennifer’s face alight with glee.  The sight of the City of Atlantis from the sky was awe-inspiring.  The city’s spires and towers glistened in the sun, and the reflections of the water surrounding the city gave the whole visage a fairy-tale appearance.

 

“Of course, you know the Gate Room, where all personnel get their first view of the city, whether you come through the Gate or are beamed from ship.  The banner displayed in front of the Gate was a gift from Dr. Fraser’s daughter.  She is very talented, and we all really like it.  It’s a nice coming home for us when we return from missions.  Some of the Gate techs want a glass-covered frame to protect it, so it’ll last a long time.”

“It was the second thing I noticed when I beamed in.  The first thing was, of course, the high colored-glass windows.  This room is beautiful, even if it’s only a functional room.”

“You’ll see that a lot outside of the labs and storage closets.  For all their faults, the Ancients built a very beautiful city.  I get a lot of sketches done all over the place.  Some of my paintings will be finding homes in the Secondary Hospital, Conference Room, and Mess Hall, at the request of Dr. Weir.  They aren’t quite finished yet, but it’s nice to know they’ll be displayed.  It’s not like I can send them home to my mother.

“This is the Main Conference Room, where all staff meetings take place.  Each window can be darkened on command, as can the outer glass walls, all for privacy.  The conference table has built-in computer monitors every two seats, and they’re connected to the main city database.  We usually bring our own tablets to meetings, but the monitors are there for easily sharing notes.”

“I guess I’ll be spending quite a lot of time in here.”

“Dr. Weir’s office is right next door, and there is a connecting door between the two rooms.”

 

They crossed the Gate Room to the main staircase, and climbed to the upper level.

“Of course, you know where the main Mess Hall is.  Dr. Zelenka is pretty sure there is another large Mess Hall somewhere else closer to the housing areas, but we haven’t found it yet.  The housing units are in the higher levels of this Central Tower, the South-East Pier, the West Pier, and the East Pier.  We figure this city could house well over ten-thousand people easily, so the idea of another Mess Hall makes sense.

“The transporters can take you all over the city, or at least to the important places.  There are also elevators in the living quarters, so you don’t have to climb interminable stairs to get to bed at night.”

Evan led Jennifer into a transporter, and touched the designation screen on the back wall.

“This allows you to tell the transporter where you want to go.  It’s a really cool three-dimensional map of the entire city.  So once you know where you’re headed, it’s easy to find.”

Evan placed his hand on the designation for the South Pier.

“This is where we keep our firing and target range.  If you’re going to be on a Gate Team, you should get used to being in here.  We won’t let you out of the city if you can’t defend yourself or the rest of your team.’

“That makes sense.  I never qualified with weapons back on Earth because going off world was out of the question for me.  Here, it seems like a better possibility.”

“Well, we’ll get you qualified with a hand gun and a P-90.  They’re the weapons you’d most likely use.”

“So you won’t get me qualified with one of the energy guns?”

“That’s a situation that requires a lot of explanation.  Plus, you probably don’t want to go through the whole process to get one of those.”

“So it’s true that your gun wouldn’t work for me?”

“Yeah, that’s true.”

“I’d overhear Marines back at the SGC talking about the two guns they have there.  They all sounded jealous.  Those are a very coveted item.”

“They’re really sweet guns, but there’s a process.  It’s not nice.”

“Okay, I can take a hint.  I’ll drop it for now.  Where to next?”

“I thought I’d show you to the botany lab in the Hospital Suite.  You said you wanted to study local medicines, and that’s where we’ll be growing our medicinal plants, from both galaxies.”

“Cool deal.  Lead on, please.”

 

Once they emerged from the transporter, Jennifer’s demeanor changed abruptly.  She gripped Evan’s arm hard.

“Evan, do you hear that humming?  Like in the back of your head?”

Evan laughed.  “I think your therapy worked, Jennifer.  Congratulations, you’re a gene carrier now.  That humming is the city.  We call her Lantea.  You’ll get to know her pretty well, especially as you’re a doctor and in charge of caring for the personnel here.”

“You mean the city talks?  I heard rumors….”

“Here, touch the wall.  Anywhere is fine.”

 

_Hear me Jennifer Keller_

_Hear me well_

_I am the city of Atlantis_

_I am Lantea_

_Welcome to my Walls_

_Welcome to my Family_

 

“Oh. My. God.”


	11. Chapter 11

 

_Hear me McKay._

_Hear me well._

_I have found a source of information about the Potentia._

_The information was found in a dead outpost_

 

“What?  Is it a computer file that you can download here?”

 

_There is no computer file._

_There is a written text._

_The text is contained in a library in the Lord Protector’s Vault on Rotha._

_The Rothans were a seeded people much like your people._

_The information I found in the outpost indicated the Rothans may have the ATA gene._

_The Rothans may be compatible with your people._

_The Rothans may be allies._

“Well, since we don’t actually know the Rothans, we can’t make that determination.  We can go to Rotha, and we can try to meet with them.  Have you told Sheppard about this?”

 

_The Keeper is currently meeting with the New Marines in the main gymnasium._

_The Keeper has not yet been informed of this development._

_I felt it prudent to inform you first, as you are concerned with Potentia._

 

“While I appreciate that sentiment, we are _all_ concerned with the Potentia.  We know how much better off we’d be at full power.  So, yes, thank you for finding this information.  Does this text tell us how to make the ZPMs?”

 

_The index of this text was not available in the outpost database._

_I am not aware of what the contents of the text might be._

_The location of the text was well hidden within the database._

_You may find that the passage of years has not been kind to the text._

 

“Yes, well, we may also find that the passage of time has not been kind to the Rothans.  There might not be any Rothans left, if the Wraith have found them in the last ten-thousand years.  So, let me call Sheppard and Elizabeth and get this mission planned.”

 

                                      **********************************************************

 

“Okay, Rodney, I searched the database to find anything about the Rothans or Rotha, and I found a Gate address: PG-48726X.  We can send a Team out first thing tomorrow, but we should be very cautious.”

“What did you find out about these people, Elizabeth?  Teyla said she didn’t know anything about them, and none of her usual contacts have heard of them.”

“I found out very little.  The planet should be habitable, and it might be populated.  The Ancients hid their secrets very well away from this city, almost as if they were afraid of someone finding out about all the horrible things they did.”

John laughed a little bit.  “And then we come along and find all their dirty laundry.  So, there ya go.”

“In any case, I’d like for you all to be extra careful.  Take two teams and a cloaked Jumper.  I want to take no chances with this.  I feel the same as Lantea here: My people are much too valuable to risk.”

“In this case, I agree.  I’ll take Stackhouse’s team, since they never get to have any fun.  But we’ll keep the Jumper Cloaked, in case we do meet locals, and other team will stay hidden.”

“That doesn’t sound like too much fun to me.”

“Nah, it doesn’t.  But really Elizabeth, we’re trying to _avoid_ that type of fun.  Stackhouse and his merry band of Marines can hopefully get a nice view when we land, and then progress their poker skills for a while.  I won’t mind at all, since Markham’s poker face needs serious work.”

“Alright, people, get some decent sleep tonight, because I have a feeling this little text-retrieval is not going to be boring.”

 

                                                   ******************************************************

 

“The MALP says the atmosphere is breathable, and the video shows a settlement about fifteen kilometers from the gate.  It looks rather medieval.  As in Renaissance Faire stuff.  Ten thousand years ago, these people may have been advanced, but right now, they are so not.”

 

“Right, well then, we’ll land the Jumper near the settlement and walk in.  Stackhouse, keep the coms open in case we have trouble.  I’m not even going to pretend that Lantea isn’t going to be listening in on us the entire time.  Hopefully, the people in the village will know what we need to know, and they’ll be helpful for once.”

 

John manfully denied the eye-roll he felt when the laughter started.

 

“Okay, people, let’s get rolling.  Elizabeth, hopefully we’ll see you soon.”

“Good luck, Colonel.”

 

                                                  *********************************************************

 

The weather was pleasant for once, and there were no armed guards at the Gate when they dialed in.  In fact, there were no people at all, as if there was no indication that the Gate had dialed.  Whoever these people were, they weren’t concerned about Wraith coming through.  The area was wooded, and there were small animals about.  The walk was enjoyable, and John’s team chatted amongst themselves.  John could hear soft chatter coming over his radio from the cloaked Jumper.  If anything bad happened, Stackhouse would have his back.  He just hoped nothing happened.

As they cleared the tree line, the village became visible.  People were milling about as if nothing unusual was happening.  Teyla grabbed John’s arm as they approached the village.

“John, look.”  She pointed over the trees behind the village.  Rising over the horizon was a very familiar image.  “Is that Tower much like the city?”

“It’s exactly like the city.  Rodney, what does the scanner say?”

“The power levels are almost non-existant.  It reads like Atlantis, but not an exact match.  I wonder if there is a Sentience?”

“If there is, I hope it’s friendly.”

 

Just then they were noticed by several people in the village, and an older man approached them.

 

“Welcome, strangers, to Mid-Roth.  We do not often have visitors.  I am Eldred.”

“I am Teyla Emmagon, of the Athosian people.  This is Colonel Sheppard of the Lantean people.”

 

For the first time _ever_ since they began making trips through the Gate, that announcement didn’t even make an eye blink.  Eldred had never heard of the ‘Lantean People’, had not reacted to hearing of the ‘City of the Ancestors’.  That made John blink.

 “Well, welcome again to you.  We are about to have our harvest, so there is much to be done.  I am sorry, but we are rather busy here.”

“Sorry to have intruded.  We were actually looking for a place called ‘Rotha’.  Our records indicated that this was the correct place.”

“Oh, no,” said Eldred rather fearfully. “The Rotha is the name of the distant Tower.  They do not come to our village.”

John could almost hear the “if we’re very lucky” that wasn’t part of that statement.  He suddenly thought this mission wasn’t going to be so easy.  Glancing back at Ronan and Teyla, he could see they felt the same way.  Rodney was frowning at his scanner, looking more and more grim.  Suddenly, Rodney looked upwards and activated his radio.”

“Stackhouse, get the shields up! There are incoming drones heading your way now!”

“Rodney? What are you talking about?”

 

A high-pitched whine sounded in the air above them, and a loud explosion shook the ground in front of them.  All hell broke loose, with people running and screaming everywhere.  More drones landed around them, toppling buildings and rumbling the ground.  John and Ronan acted quickly to get several children to safety while Teyla and Rodney rounded up several elderly persons.

At once, the attack was over.  A quiet radio-check proved that the advanced warning was effective, as Stackhouse managed to shield the Jumper and move it out of the line of fire.  Once the villagers were settled, John went to check with Eldred.

 

“Is everyone alright?  Does that happen a lot?”

“No, not often.   It happened often when the Wraith used to come, many generations ago.  They no longer come to this place, but we must pay for the protection.”

John definitely didn’t like the sound of that.  “Pay _how_ for the protection?”

“We give half of our harvest to the Rothans.  Many of our people are taken to be servants in the Rotha.  If we disobey, the Screaming Birds attack, like this.”

“So, we came through the Gate, and your village got punished for it.  I am so sorry, Eldred.  If there is anything we can do to make it up to you, we will do it.”

“Colonel Sheppard, there is no way you could know what would happen.  You are a stranger here.  But you must go now.  The High Sherriff, Otho, will be here soon.  He will find you and take you if you are still here.”

“I don’t run from this sort of thing, usually.  We’ll stay and face this Otho.  We may have questions for the Rothans, in any case, so if he comes perhaps he can answer them.”

 

 

A short while later, a small contingent of soldiers entered the village, following a very angry-looking bald man carrying what looked an LSD scanner.  He used it to scan the entire village as he walked through assessing the damage.  He looked sharply at John’s team when the scanner indicated _something_ interesting, and he approached.

“You are new.  I am Otho, High Security for the Rothans.  You and you, will come with me,” he said, indicating John and Rodney. 

Ronan stood to protest, when John waved him away.

“Get on the radio to Stackhouse and let him know we’re being ‘taken for questioning’. Tell him to stay cloaked.  We’ll be in touch.  I think we need to be in that tower anyway, and this is the least sneaky way to get in.”

“Okay,” Ronan agreed, but he didn’t look happy about it. “We’ll help out here.”

“Good.  See if we need to maybe send more assistance through the Gate.  They may need doctors.”

 

 

Once at the tower, which only looked like a distant cousin of Atlantis, John and Rodney were led to the Lord Protector.  The man was older, rather stern, and did not seem to have a name.  Even his daughter, a pretty blonde named Mara, called him Lord Protector.  The man’s son barely even looked at him, seeming much more interested in Rodney.

“I apologize for Otho’s abruptness, but we have indications that the two of you may be needed here.”

“Well, Otho was rather insistent.  And rude.  But perhaps we can talk in private about why you needed us, and what we may need from you in return.”

“You need something from me?”

“Yes, oddly enough.  We actually came through the Stargate looking for the Rothans.  We need to look at a text you may have in a library or museum here.”

 

The Lord Protector shooed everyone, including Otho, out of the room.

“The only books we have here are in the Sacred Vault.  None of us can read them.  They are kept safe, because they are of our past, but they have no real value.”

“To our people, one of them could have great value.  Perhaps we can trade.  Medical aid, labor assist, help fighting the Wraith.  We really do need to see that book.”

“We have no need for aid against the Wraith.  We keep ourselves quite safe.   Our Bloodline makes it possible to defend our world.”

Rodney spoke up.

“You have the ATA gene.  Does everyone on this planet have it?”

The Lord Protector sighed.

“No.  My daughter has strong blood, but the blood of my son is weaker.  That is why you were brought here.  I had hoped one of you would take an interest in Mara.  We must protect the bloodline, in order to protect our people.”

“Would that be the same people that you subjugate on a regular basis?  The same people who speak about you in fear?  The same people you _bombed_ today because Colonel Sheppard and I came through the Stargate to ask you for help?  Are those the people you’re talking about?  Because I think the Wraith would almost be better for them.  At least they would know what was in store for them.  Your drone attack destroyed a large portion of their fields, and I bet you’re still going to insist that they give over half of whatever is left of the harvest.”

 

The man had gone pale.  “I know not of what you speak.  Otho is my High Security.  He and his men are in charge of accepting tribute from the village.  I have not personally used the Screaming Birds in many years.  Otho takes charge of that, as well.”

“Let me guess: Otho has the gene as well?”

“Yes, very weak, but strong enough defend this planet.”

“Can you take me to your weapon room?  And perhaps the place the weapons are fired from?”

“Of course.  But what will you do?”

“First, I want to check your drone level.  If you’ve been using them, even sporadically, they have to be depleting rather quickly.  I know you don’t have the means to make more.  And I’m not offering to make more for you, because it’s just not easy.  But we have found that the control chair and weapons platform sometimes have shields.”

“I know of no shields.”

“Well, you probably never needed to find them.  If the Wraith have left this place alone for any length of time, then why would you even look?  But let me tell you, the Wraith have gotten a lot worse lately.  They woke, en masse, half a year ago, and they may decide to visit here again.  In exchange for this text we’re looking for, maybe we can get your shields up and working.  But you may have to do something about Otho, because he’s seriously bad news.”

“Then first, let us go into the vault and find this text you search for.  What is it called?”

“I don’t really know what it’s called, but I do have a description.  It’s rather large and cumbersome, in red and black binding with green writing on the front.”

“Yes, I do know that one.  It is written beautifully, but not in any language that I have ever seen.  None of my people have been able to read it.   None of my ancestors have been able to read it.  Would it help my people?  Should I try to read it?”

Rodney shook his head.  “No, trying to read it would probably just give you a headache.  We have someone, um, who is good at old languages and is going to translate it for us.  It wouldn’t help your people directly, but it may have a way for _us_ to help you.”

“Very well, you shall have it, then.  It only sits untouched in the vault.  If it could benefit both of our people, then all is well.”

 

 

 

They retrieved the text, which was very thick and heavy, and headed to the tower’s control room.  John radioed Stackhouse and had him fly the Jumper closer to the tower.  He had a feeling that Otho was going to be trouble, especially if he thought there might be more gene carriers around.  John wasn’t interested in becoming breeding stock for anybody, but least of all for this old man trying to save his people.  On the way to the weapons storage room, they informed the Lord Protector of how the villagers were living, and how afraid they were of the tower and its occupants.  Rodney told of how kind they were to visitors, but nervous about how newcomers would be treated.  The Lord Protector was visibly upset.  It was clear that in his preoccupation, he allowed a malevolent upstart take over his role as leader, and was probably setting himself up for an assassination attempt.  He called his personal guards and had them hold Otho in a cell while his chambers were searched.  By the time they had finished drone inventory and checked the shield integrity, the guards had found a rather pointy dagger and a vial of liquid that the healer proved to be a very quick poison.

John and Rodney promised to return with additional aid if the text proved to be helpful, and Teyla and Ronan vowed to return with a few soldiers to help bring in the harvest.  Stackhouse and team volunteered because they wanted something good to show for all the sitting-in-the-Jumper they did. 

 

                                *****************************************************************

 

“Lantea, how are we going to translate this text?  I don’t want to risk scanning pages and damaging them because it’s a very old book.”

 

_Hear me Elizabeth._

_Hear me well_

_The text should be directly placed into the manufacture unit._

_The writing is a code that will initiate the manufacture unit._

“So, it’s like a punch card?  The ink acts like a power switch?”

 

_No, Elizabeth._

_The patterns of the writing are the code._

_Once the code has been entered, the instructions will be made clear._

_There is a door on the front of the manufacture unit._

_The text will fit into that chamber._

_When I have the instructions, I shall teach you how to activate the unit._

“Do you know what it will entail?  I understand that manufacturing the weapons requires a lot of negative emotion.  What will this process need?”

 

_Hear me Elizabeth_

_I will not understand the process until I read the text._

_I do not believe this will require anything horrible from my people._

                                     *********************************************************************

 

“Dr. Keller, are you ready for our lunch date?

“Why, yes, Colonel Lorne, I most certainly am ready for our lunch date.  Where are we going?”

Evan held out his hand and pulled Jennifer close to him.  Her smile brightened and she pressed a kiss to his cheek.  When he left Earth behind for a strange galaxy and a war with space vampires, he never thought he’d find a woman he’d be proud to take home to his mother.  And yet, here she was; bright, beautiful, intelligent and funny.  He found himself to be quite stupid around her, and he enjoyed every bit of it.

“I thought we’d have a picnic by the pools.  It’s a nice day, and Dr. Kusanagi told me we’d be able to see the meteor shower through the sea mist on the pier.”

“Colonel Lorne, if you get any more romantic, I’ll have to start carrying a stunner to keep other women away.”

“You’d defend my honor?”

“Well, I’d certainly defend my stake in you.  You’re the best thing in my life right now, personally.”

 

As they walked hand-in-hand out of the infirmary, panels in the walls flashed brightly behind them.

 

                                            *************************************************************

 

“So, the Daedalus is due to dock in an hour.  Colonel Michaels is not going to be in charge this time, as Colonel Steven Caldwell has decided to return to his command post after his therapy.  I think coming back here may be a little tense for him.”

“Well,” said Rodney, “Since this is where Caldwell was trapped and sedated and taken into custody.  I have no idea why he’d feel a little tense.”

“Nice snark, Rodney.  Is he okay?  I mean, really okay?  Because he had this evil parasite living inside of him and controlling him.  The recovery on that must have been horrid.  It’s only been a few months.”

“Well, John, General O’Neill said he did quite well.  He’s angry about the Gou’ald, and he’s very angry that he almost got this city destroyed, so he worked hard in therapy.  One of the reasons he got back on the Daedalus is so he could come out here.  He wants to interact with Lantea personally.  So, we welcome him back.”

“He was always a good man, in my opinion.  He’s a hardass, but he’s career military, so that’s to be expected.  I know not getting stationed here as Military Commander was upsetting to him, because he outranks Sheppard, but he’s a fair officer.”

“Agreed, Rodney.  Along with the regular supplies, we have several personnel changes.  John, you remember Captain Finn and Captain Miller?”

“Those were the two security officers O’Neill brought with him that wanted the space guns?”

“Yes, well, they requested a tour here and the request was granted.  We also have a unit of Navy SEALs—I guess one scuba trip under the city made O’Neill think we needed one.  I think several of them surf, Colonel, so some of us may get lessons after all.”

“Yeah, but are they gene carriers?  Because we did okay without shiny SEALs for a while.  And I told you I’d teach you to surf.”

“Yes, you did.  We’ll be losing members of Teams three, four, and eight due to time constraints.  They were not soldiers who requested permanent placement, so we do have to let them go back to the SGC.  As O’Neill said, permanent placement is not a problem the military is used to.  Even the so-called ‘dream postings’ have drawbacks, and this city is in a horrible situation with the Wraith.  The fact that so many of our soldiers want to stay here is a boon to us.”

 

 

The Daedalus sent word that they would be docking on the West Pier as usual, and Colonel Caldwell beamed down to the Gate Room per his custom.  Dr. Weir greeted him with a smile and a ‘welcome back’.  After he handed the supply roster over to her, he pulled her aside.

“Elizabeth, may I have some time alone in the Conference Room?  I’d like to talk with Lantea.”

“Of course, Steven.  We’ll have our meeting after everything is unloaded and the personnel have been sorted.  And may I say again, it’s good to see you.”

“Thank you.”

 

Caldwell walked into the Conference Room, sat at the table and pressed his hand to the monitor in the table.

 

“Lantea, I wanted to say thank you for saving me.  I was a prisoner in my own body, and I thought I would die that way.”

 

_Hear me_

_Hear me Steven Caldwell_

_You are ever welcome within my walls._

_Your strength is needed._

_Your honor is appreciated._

_You are of my people._

“Thanks.  That really, oddly, means a lot to me.”

 

                                                     *************************************************************

 

The Jumper silently circled around the Main Tower of the city, scanning the upper levels with the interior sensors.  All this time on the city, and they had never managed to see what was in the high upper levels of the center spire.  So far, they found a lot of sleeping and living quarters.  There was a large open space that John speculated could be a theater or concert hall.  There was what appeared to be a library; well, it had lots of data pads and storage crystals and seating.  He figured Elizabeth would love to get into that room.  Frankly, John was relieved that they had given in to the idea of scanning the rooms before they allowed teams to explore the areas.  They still had to worry about unknown dangers, although up this high, the danger was more likely to be structural damage.  Since they found the energy creature in a West Pier tower, and that tumor machine in a South Tower, scanning the towers from the outside seemed the safest way to go about things.

Of course, the scans also allowed John precious time to himself.  He kept busy with paperwork, and duty rosters and training.  His bantos workouts with Teyla kept his body sharp, and running with Ronan kept him driven and centered, but sometimes he needed alone-time just to think.  Lantea even respected this about him, and the Jumper was silent even of the slight humming so prevalent in the city.  The work was mindless, and monotonous, and every pilot in the city regularly volunteered for a scan shift for that very reason.  The other wonderful mindless duty on the city was shuttling the Athosians to and from the mainland when their traders went off world or when they had medical appointments.

With the Central Tower declared clear, John took the Jumper down into the water to dock in the Secondary Jumper Bay.  He never really spent time down here.  The lower chambers were rather peaceful since no-one was working down here yet.  They had moved the Jumpers to the main Jumper Bay so Radek and his merry band of engineers could work on them.  The ZPM lab was off limits until they could figure out how to make it work.  So John found himself alone for the first time in a very long time.  He clicked his radio and called for Lorne.

“Hey, Lorne, I’m going off-radio for a bit.  The Main Tower is good to wander, and so is the South East Pier Tower.  Let McKay know he can schedule minions to explore, but they still need security.”

“Roger that, sir.  See you in a bit.”

John parked the Jumper in the Bay and walked into the ZPM lab.  He wandered around looking at the broken pieces littering the storage shelves.  It really looked like the Ancients just shut this place down and meticulously destroyed everything so that nothing could be recovered.  This whole thing must be driving McKay nuts.

 

McKay.  Somehow that name made John smile.

Three weeks ago, some desperate old man with a declining ATA gene offered John his daughter as a wife to save his people, and all John could think of was how appalled McKay looked.

A month ago, a very ‘interested’ Athosian woman kept trying to sit next to John at a harvest festival on the mainland, and McKay always seemed to be in the way.

Two days ago, another accommodating high priestess generously offered herself to John for what she seemed to think was going to be an energetic evening, and Rodney somehow managed to set off alarms throughout that village.  John still didn’t know what he had done, but it allowed the team to beat a hasty retreat through the Gate, and John’s virtue was intact.

And darned if John didn’t wish it wasn’t.  In every instance, with every woman who made a pass—or had one made for her—all John could think about was McKay.

His blue eyes, so sharp and intelligent.

His wry, dry, biting wit, quick to cut people to shreds, but always making John laugh.

His constant complaining.

His quick repartee with Zelenka—and Lantea, on occasion.

Oh, god, John was in trouble.

He was falling for his best friend.

John sat down heavily at the manufacture station.  Absently, he placed his hand over an indentation in the table in front of him, and felt a slight hum under his fingers.  He thought about his long-ago confession to Rodney when they were scouting for their beach retreat.  Rodney was so open to hear him.  He didn’t mock him, or tell him his feelings were wrong.  He just listened to John, and that was the first time since he revealed to his father that nobody had judged him for his feelings.  Rodney was just _there_ for John.

 

The table under his hand shook and lit and vibrated, a musical tune sounded from deep within the machine.

It felt…… _happy._

The whole room felt happy.

 

John thought about his father again, and the tune stopped.

Okay.

John thought about the city, and a low hum began.

Hmmmmmmm.

John thought about Rodney.

The music began again.

John thought about his feelings for Rodney.

The music got bolder, but remained quiet.

Oh.

Oh, boy.

He needed….something.

What?

Ah-ha!

“Dr. Beckett, this is Colonel Sheppard.  Can you get Teyla and meet me in the ZPM lab, please?  And don’t tell anyone”

“What’s going on, Colonel?”

“I’ll tell you when you get here.  Just don’t tell _anyone_ , and make sure you have Teyla with you.”

“Lorne, this is Sheppard.  What is McKay’s location?”

“As far as I know, he’s in the Jumper Bay with Radek and Miko.  Why?”

“Can you go to the ZPM chamber and grab the empty one, please?  And don’t tell McKay.”

“Don’t you think he’s going to notice me taking a ZPM out of the energy chamber?”

“No, not that one. The empty shell.  The one on the floor by the Control Chair.  Grab it, and bring it to the ZPM lab.  And…”

“Don’t tell McKay, got it, sir.”

 

John paced around the room, humming.

This place was sneaky.

It was comforting, and dangerous, and beautiful, and sneaky.

 

 

Lorne arrived just ahead of Teyla and Carson, and he was looking slightly bemused.

“Sorry, I almost ran into McKay, who apparently needed a very particular tool kit.   What is going on?”

“I think I figured it out, but I need to test it first.”

“You figured what out, John?”

“This…machine.”

“I thought Elizabeth said it would be too dangerous to try until Lantea translated this text.”

“Yeah, Teyla, but that was before I ‘oopsed’ and sat down here.”

“Alright, well, we’re here.  So what do you want us to do?”

“Um, I think we need to put the empty ZMP in this cabinet—the glowy, blue one.  And Teyla, I want you to sit here on Carson’s left.  And Carson, sit here and put your right hand in the little divot in the table.”

Lorne place the shell inside the cabinet, and stood back while Teyla and Carson took their places.

The manufacture table had four seats, and four indentations, but Teyla’s chair wasn’t part of that arrangement.  She was sitting slightly offset, and behind Carson’s chair.

“Now what?”

“Now is where I’m completely guessing.  Carson, hold Teyla’s hand with your left hand.  And Teyla, I need you to concentrate on how much you care about Carson.  Push all those feelings to the front of your mind.   Carson, you do the same.  Think about how happy you are with Teyla.  Think about how her eyes light up when she sees you.  Think about when you walk along the Pier at night to watch the stars.  Think about the first time you realized she was _it_ for you.”

 

As John spoke, a beautiful melody began to flow from the table in front of Carson.  The walls softly pulsed with blue light.  The table began to vibrate softly, and the table lit brightly for a few moments, until the music stopped.   Lorne’s mouth dropped open, and he reached for the cabinet door.  The once-dead ZPM glowed with new life.  It wasn’t a full charge, not by far, but it wasn’t empty either.  Carson and Teyla both looked dazed, and rather full of love.  It was a good look for them.

 

“Sir, how did you know?”

“Um, a hunch?  I was just down here thinking, and, um, stuff…happened.  Doesn’t matter, really.  It worked.  Well, it worked a little bit.  I think maybe, more people hooked up to the machine, all thinking about who they love?  Maybe?”

“Or maybe holding hands with who they love.  That means finding a lot of happy people.”

“Yeah, we should gather the lovebirds here and find Elizabeth and Rodney.  Boy, he’d going to be pissed that he didn’t figure this out.”

“Maybe he’ll be so happy that _someone_ did that he’ll overlook the fact that it wasn’t him.’

“Have you met McKay?”

 

                              ****************************************************

 

Her Keeper was a very intelligent man.  She did not leave him clues.  She did not show him the plans he recovered from the Rothans. 

He only had to think of McKay, and the Way was shown to him.

He could be so happy with McKay.

They would both care for Her and Her people.

She would have to show them that they belonged together.


	12. Chapter 12

Rodney sat silently, staring at the ZPM.

It had been completely dead when they arrived in the city all that long time ago, and the former occupants had left it in a corner of the Chair Control Room.  Rodney had never seen fit to move it; he had just left it as a sort of silent monument to the people who abandoned their city during a war they created.

Now, it held a charge.  Just a small charge—not even one-quarter full.  Maybe one-eighth of a charge.  But it wasn’t dead anymore.  Carson had brought it to life again, with Teyla by his side.  And he did it with love.  Literally, with love.  Rodney actually could wrap his mind around that idea, even if most of his minions might think the concept was beyond him.  Rodney believed in love.  Rodney even felt love.

He loved science.

He loved his sister and niece, and quite-a-lot liked his brother-in-law—but he’d never tell Jeannie that.

He loved his friends and team-mates.

He really loved this city, and Lantea in particular.  She was almost his favorite person.

And Rodney was _in love_ , so he could totally understand how Carson and Teyla could generate the power to charge a ZPM.

As for _whom_ Rodney loved—well, better not say.  Heartache lay in that direction, and he didn’t really need more of that.  Because _that_ person had figured out how to charge the ZPMs, and had kept it from Rodney.

 

“I’m sorry we…I’m sorry _I_ didn’t tell you that I’d figured it out.  But I really wanted to make sure it worked, because I didn’t want to get your hopes up.  I guess I’d hoped that it would work so you wouldn’t be disappointed.”

“No, no, I get that.  Really, Colonel.  And I appreciate the thought.  We need to track this.”

 

Rodney pulled a Sharpie marker from his pocket and printed _Carson/Teyla_ onto the top surface of the ZPM.

“There we go; so this one was totally dead, and now it has a partial charge.  We can mark progress as Carson and Teyla spend more time with it, so we know how long to fully charge a ZPM, and how strong the emotion has to be for a full charge.   Since Lantea gave me a complete translation of the process to _build_ the ZPM shells, we know what that process entails.  All we need is a proper store of components to work with.”

Carson, still a tad bit dazed, asked, “What do we need to do to build them?  Is it a joint effort again?”

“It is, and it isn’t a ‘joint effort’.  We will need to project positive emotion into the manufacture unit to create the shells, but the _builders_ don’t have to be romantically involved with each other.  We will need all four seats filled for the manufacture, but as long as everyone in the room is on the same page with positive thinking, the manufacture should go fine.  Lantea suggested possibly using images of safety, home, family—that sort of thing.  It makes sense, as we are trying to power our new home in a strange galaxy.  I have a complete list of components and amounts of each, so we can begin harvesting.  Some of the components are the same as for the missiles, but I don’t want to dig into that store.  I’d rather keep each manufacture center as fully stocked as possible, because Murphy is the god of the SGC, and he hates us all.”

_I do not understand, McKay._

_How have you all earned the wrath of such a god as this Murphy?_

_Can you not pray to appease this god?_

_I do not understand much of religion._

_My old people were never religious._

_My old people worshipped the mind and science._

_May I help to build a temple to this god Murphy to appease and lessen the anger?_

The conference room erupted into laughter.  Even Teyla had been informed of the ‘all-powerful Murphy’ and the past history of the SGC.  Finally, Elizabeth calmed enough to answer.

 

“Lantea, Murphy is not an actual god.  There is a ‘concept’ known as Murphy’s Law, which states: ‘If anything can go wrong, it will go wrong, and in such a way as to do the most damage.’  Our organization, Stargate Command, has a bad record for bad things happening.  I agree that not poaching from other manufacture centers is a good idea.  Just when we think we won’t need to build more drones or missiles, the Wraith may attack again and we’ll fall short on munitions.”

 

_We must talk of this again Elizabeth._

_There is much I must understand of my new people._

_I must understand in order to give aid and comfort._

 

“I look forward to having those discussions, Lantea.  Okay, we know planets we can use to harvest the component minerals and chemicals that are the same.  Do we have a list of possible locations to harvest the unknown components?”

“Yes, Lantea and I worked that part out this afternoon while Radek and I were upgrading the shields on Jumper Six.  Lantea was quite vocal during the repairs.  She approved the upgrades and kept a running commentary about chemical reserves on planets we have already visited.  There are no unknown locations, but we’ll need a large amount of a plant-based gas from the planet where the Rotha is located.  We may need to become very friendly with the Lord Protector.”

“Well, a way to incur good faith would be to return the text to their vaults.  We don’t need it any longer, do we?”

“No, we’ve got the information from it that we need.  The good part was that Lantea didn’t need to destroy the text to retrieve the information.”

“Do we need to harvest the plants, or do they emit the gas naturally?”

 

_The Broka flower emits the gas when the flower is in full bloom._

_The Broka flower blooms only at night, and only during the winter months on the planet._

_The blooming takes place over four nights, before and after the full moon, but not the actual night of the full moon._

_Winter on that planet lasts four months, and is approaching now._

_Optimally, your Away Team could gather and store enough of the gas for the chemical process over two blooming cycles, if your storage containers are large enough._

_I observed your SCUBA tanks, and they appeared to be large enough._

_You would need six tanks that size for the chemical process to begin the manufacture._

 

“Yes, this chemical gas is needed to dissolve enough of the main metal component to create the shell of the ZPM,” stated Rodney.  “The metal is harsh and cannot be smelted with heat, which is good, because that means no fires on the city.  But it also means that the gas is really harsh and volatile, and we’ll need atmosphere suits to harvest it.  And we’ll need a lot of empty SCUBA tanks, before winter sets on that planet.”

“Okay,” said Elizabeth pensively, “We’ll get a mission ready to return the texts, and ask permission to harvest the gas.  And we’ll need directions to the area where these flowers are.  I know we can scan for them, but I’d rather the Rothans not know that just yet.  I don’t want another Genii situation here, and if they know right away about our city and how closely it resembles their tower, that could easily happen.  Not that Lantea would allow it, of course.  But once we establish friendly contact, we’ll make arrangements to do the actual harvest.  Right now, I’m going to place a call to the SGC, and explain to General O’Neill just how close we are to building ZPM shells and charging them.  He made me promise to keep him in the loop after I teased him about the manufacture center.”

“We don’t have enough time to get empty tanks onboard the Daedalus for the next run, do we?”

“That is something I’ll have to ask O’Neill.  So let me make that call. Maybe I’ll invite him in to make a shell or two, so he can feel part of the whole process.  I did promise to share our bounty once we had our power issues solved.”

Rodney paused for a bit, making notes on his tablet.  “O’Neill said they had plans in the works for a warship powered by ZPMs, and the SGC needs at least two if we’re going to be able direct-dial between here and there.  That takes a lot of power, and if we can supply the ZPM energy, they can stop using local electricity and the cost of that stops being a concern for the Pentagon and Homeworld Security.  Since he mentioned wanting to allow gene-carrying soldiers to come here and build their own weapons in our Danger Center, that cost would be negligible as well.  Atlantis could actually end up _saving_ money for the DOD.  Huh.  That’s pretty cool, but it’s so much a long-term goal.  If we can show how close we are to charging the units, I know we’ll make a lot of people very happy.  Which is good, because _happy_ is what we need.  Okay, I’ll retrieve the text before any of my minions get the idea to rip it apart and look for more secrets.  I’ll let you place the dial-call, Elizabeth.  I’m sure Lantea will enjoy the opportunity to chat with O’Neill again.  I think she has a crush on him.”

 

_I do not understand._

_Why would I want to flatten and decimate the O’Neill?_

_Crushing is a violent way to die or destroy._

_Mostly, crushing is done in a landslide or volcanic explosion._

_I do not wish this for the O’Neill._

_He is of my people._

_He is happy when he visits my halls._

_He should not fear being crushed when he visits._

Elizabeth sighed heavily.  “Thanks, Rodney, for that lengthy explanation I need to give now.  You may go away now.”

 

Rodney smirked as he gathered his tablets and rose from the table.  John scrambled to follow as he left the Conference Room, leaving Carson and Teyla and Lorne to find their own way out.  Lorne looked like he was headed to the Infirmary anyway, so he could keep an eye out for the floaty couple.

“Rodney, wait up a sec!”

“Yes, Colonel?  We do have a mission to prepare for.  Did you need something in particular?”

“You aren’t mad at me, are you?”

“Why would I be mad?  You figured out a hugely good thing.  I honestly don’t think Lantea could have told us the specifics of how to charge the ZPMs.”  Rodney activated the transporter, and when the door opened, they both entered.  “From what I read, the ‘love thoughts’ were mentioned, but having the object of affection present wasn’t mentioned.  Actually, that part probably wasn’t even necessary, but it was inspired.  What made you think about it?”

 

They exited the transporter when the door opened near Rodney’s lab.  They walked into the lab so Rodney could store his tablets and grab the text from the locked storage Rodney kept it in.  He took no chances when it came to the text’s safety, knowing they might have to return it some time.

“I don’t know.  I mean, I was just sitting at the manufacture table, thinking about a lot of things, and at one point it started humming this little tune and vibrating.  It startled me, to be honest.  I mean, there are four seats at that table, so I wasn’t really thinking it would react to me alone.  And I changed my thoughts, and the humming and vibrating stopped.   So, I re-started my thought process, to find what made the vibrating and music start again.  And that’s when I noticed the extra seating near the tables.  Actually, those extra seats weren’t there when I went into the room, so I think the stools rose out of the floor when the music started.”

“Music?”

“Well, when _certain_ thoughts entered my head, the humming became more, well _musical_.  At least, it seemed that way.  It wasn’t really a particular song, if that’s what you were thinking.”

“Okay.  So what made you think of Carson and Teyla?”

 

They entered the transporter again, this time heading to John’s office to set up a team meeting.  When they got to John’s office, John radioed for Ronan and Stackhouse to meet them there.

 

“Honestly, when I see Carson and Teyla together, all I see is _HAPPY_.   They are so completely happy together.  Nobody saw it coming, and they get more in love every day.  I had already figured out that ‘happy’ was a requirement to do _something_ , but I wasn’t sure what.  So I asked Lorne to grab the dead ZPM to experiment with.  I really didn’t know if putting it in the chamber would charge it or use it as a blueprint to make another one, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to try, right?”

“Yeah, no, that makes sense.”

“Anyway, I just figured I’d get the happiest couple I could think of—and Lorne and Keller have only been dating for a short while, so they were out and it was Carson and Teyla by default.  But Teyla doesn’t have the gene, so I figured I’d just let her hold Carson’s hand and think happy thoughts at him instead of the machine.”

“Yeah.  If Teyla had the gene, the ZPM might have gotten more of a charge than just one-eighth.  Lorne and Keller might make one heck of a charging pair.”

“Once we build a bunch of shells, are you going to ‘name’ them all, like you did with Carson’s?”

“Only if we let partners charge them separately.  If we have several sets of partners sitting at the table all at once, we’ll most likely get a full charge faster.  I kinda don’t want to make anyone think we’re ‘grading’ them on how much they care about each other.”

“Yeah, buddy, that’d be a really bad idea.”

 

                                     ********************************************************

 

“Dr. Weir, how lovely to hear from you again.  All is well, I take it?”

“Yes, General O’Neill, all is very well.  I have news about the ZPM Lab, and a supply request.”

“Oh?  There has been progress?  That’s good news.”

“Very good news.  We found instructions for building ZPM shells, including the ‘recipe’ for mixing the components.  Which is why I have the supply request.  I need at least six empty SCUBA tanks and a gas compressor to collect natural gases from the air and fill the tanks.”

“I take it the gas is toxic?”

“Most likely.  We’ll be using atmosphere suits for gathering.  We also have a line on the method to charge the ZPMs once built.  But that process is mostly untested and may take a while.  Our initial test gave a one-eighth charge to a completely depleted ZPM.  But that was as much of a charge as our test subjects could manage.”

“That’s still one-hundred percent over what you had.  When do you need the tanks?  The Daedalus isn’t going to be heading out for another three weeks.”

“That is cutting things really close.  We have only a four-month window to collect the gas, and that window opens soon.”

“Then I’ll collect the tanks and compressor and send them through the Gate as soon as I get them.  It could take a couple of days.  I don’t want to waste the dial-up for tanks and a compressor, so is there anything else you need right away?”

“Well, we were going to invite you to the city to help manufacture the shells, so if you can spare some time…”

“Oh, I could do that.  What’s the point in being in charge around here if I can’t take tours of our outposts?   Can I bring more people with me?”

“Any amount of help would be nice.  If we’re lucky, we’ll be able to charge a unit or two while you’re here.”

 

                                           ***************************************************

 

_Why do you not allow yourself to love?_

 

**I do love, Lantea.  I love my family and my friends.  I love you, too.**

 

_For that I am most grateful.  Why do you not allow yourself to be truly happy?  You need warm arms to hold you when you are injured.  You need a smile to make you happy.  The Beckett has allowed this._

 

**Carson and Teyla are very happy, and I’m glad for them.**

 

_Why do you not allow this for yourself?_

 

**Look, it’s not easy for me.  I haven’t had the best of luck in that department.**

                                                             

_Is it because you would love another of the same gender?_

 

**No, well, yes.  I had to deny that part of myself for a very long time.  I was never allowed to find that kind of happiness, so I learned to never look for it.**

 

_You feel love now.   I can feel it in you._

 

**Yeah, I guess I do.  It’s hard, because he’s a good friend—the best I ever had, really.  I don’t want to screw that up.  If he doesn’t feel even a little bit the same, then he would feel awkward around me.  Then being just friends would be hard.**

 

_There are always risks, are there not?  I know RonanWarrior risked much to find his love_.

 

**They are a surprisingly cute couple.  Yeah, there are risks with love.  I guess I don’t want to lose what I know I have.  I know I have his friendship.  That means so much**.

 

_Perhaps he feels the same.  You would not know if you did not reveal yourself._

 

**I’ll think about it.**

************************************************************

Two cloaked Jumpers flew through the Gate toward the Rotha.  Team Sheppard, along with Stackhouse’s team were in the lead Jumper, and they were followed by SGA 4 and SGA 6 in the other.  The Jumpers also carried the scientists who would investigate the area where the Broka flowers grew.  They didn’t know if the entire area would be toxic to humans, or if the area was only dangerous when the flowers were in bloom.  Lantea did not have that information, and really it was good that they had to learn these things on their own.  It would serve no good if Lantea spoon-fed everything to them.  They were in this galaxy to explore and learn, after all.

Sheppard and McKay had decided to fly straight to the area just outside the tower.  The Jumpers would remain cloaked, and Sheppard and McKay, along with Stackhouse and Markham, would approach the Lord Protector for the favor.  They weren’t certain how they would be received, but they didn’t want to reveal the whole visiting party right away.  They approached the tower and were greeted immediately by Mara, who smiled brightly.

“Colonel Sheppard, Dr. McKay, how wonderful to see you.  All is well, I hope.”

“Ah, yes, Mara, all is well.  We’d like to speak with the Lord Protector, if that’s alright.”

“He will be pleased to meet with you.  Please come with me to the Throne Room.”

 

Rodney almost sniggered.  The ‘Throne Room’ actually housed a Control Chair, which gene carriers used to fire the drones in attack or defense.  The last time they were here, John had shown the Lord Protector how to launch a shield around the area for protection.  The shield encompassed the tower and village as well as the surrounding fields.  John knew that offering to supply drones for the tower would only lead to unhappiness for all, so he made sure that Rodney honed the shields for maximum defense.

The found the Lord Protector sitting on the Throne, meeting with Eldred and several other villagers.  They were deep into their conversation, but were smiling, so it wasn’t a dire situation.

“Lord Protector, the Lantean visitors have returned to speak with you.”

 

The Lord Protector rose from the Throne and approached John and company with open arms.

“My friends!  How wonderful!  You are well met here.  Did the text give you the aid you hoped it would?”

“Yes, Lord Protector, it was a great help.  We have it here, in the original condition.  We realize that you can’t read it, but its part of your heritage, so we wanted to return it promptly.”

“Thank you, Colonel.  Shall we go to the vault to install the text in its display?  Eldred, thank you for meeting me today.  I am glad the rebuilding of the village is going well.  If you need further aid, you have only to ask.”

 

Eldred bade them farewell, and John and Rodney followed the Lord Protector into the lower levels of what they had learned was a city-ship much like Atlantis.  There was no sentience here, which didn’t surprise Rodney at all since Lantea had mentioned that her existence was accidental.  No matter how technologically advanced the Ancients were, they could not make the same mistake twice.  The tower was lovely, but ultimately lonely to the Lanteans.

“What has happened since we last met, Lord Protector?”

“Ah, Colonel, alas Otho tried to escape his confinement and attacked me.  He was mortally injured in the attack, as Mara proved to be a great defender of mine.  I have approached Eldred and the other villagers and apologized for Otho’s actions against them.  We are working to rebuild all that Otho destroyed, and Eldred and I are working on being co-leaders of this world.”

“That’s really great.  I knew Otho would be a problem.”

“Yes, and you were right.  I would still like to make a match for Mara, to strengthen our bloodline.  You and she would make beautiful children.”

John choked. “Um, that’s not something I’m interested in, really.  I’m sure she’s a great woman, but I have a lot on my plate and that kind of commitment right now is not in my cards.”

The Lord Protector smiled at John.  “Don’t worry.  Mara is not interested in you either, as she doesn’t know you well.  But a father must try, mustn’t he?”

“I suppose so.”

Rodney broke in at that awkward moment.  “Lord Protector, there is something we would like to ask of you.  There is a plant on this planet, the Broka flower, do you know of it?”

“Yes,” the Lord Protector frowned.  “The Broka flower is dangerous this time of year.  When it blooms, it emits a poisonous vapour.  It grows on the far side of the forest, in a clearing by a lake.  Because of the flower, the lake is toxic; the fish are poisonous and the water is dangerous even to touch.  We do not allow any of our people to go there, because it means certain death.”

“Yeah, but we need to collect some of that vapour.  It is a necessary ingredient in a manufacturing process for creating power sources.  If we are successful, we may be able to give you a fully charges Potentia to power your shields.”

“I could not, in good conscience, allow any of my people to help you do this.”

“Oh, don’t worry, we aren’t asking for that.  We’d like detailed directions and permission to harvest the vapour.  We’ll supply our own people. We wouldn’t want to endanger anyone here.”

“As long as you understand the risks, I can give you a detailed map.  Remember, do not try to drink from the lake or eat any living thing from this clearing.  The death is not immediate, but it is rather painful.”

“We have fail safes for our protection.  We won’t risk our people in any way if we can avoid it.”

 

                                    **********************************************************

 

Rodney was unusually quiet on the walk back to the Jumpers, and on the trip back to Atlantis.  John was fairly alarmed because Rodney is never quiet.  Even on overnight missions, he murmurs in his sleep.  John knows this because they share a tent, something that usually causes John to not sleep very well on missions.  He’s so focused on protecting Rodney at night, that he totally focuses on Rodney himself.  This un-natural quiet is disconcerting.

Back in the city, they meet with Elizabeth and let her know that they have permission to harvest the gas, so all they need is the collection compressor and the empty tanks.  Rodney sets Dr. Simpson the task of readying the atmosphere suits so there are no possible leaks or tears.  Elizabeth sent a data burst message to O’Neill letting him know that they could now take possession of the tanks and compressor, so they would be ready for their arrival.  Missions to collect the other components were already underway.  Soon, they would be ready to create the ZPM shells, so the search was on for people to power the manufacture unit to charge them up.  Unsurprisingly, Dean Bates and Ronan Dex volunteered to be among the first to try.  They were holding hands when they spoke up, which Elizabeth thought was incredibly cute.

After the meeting, Rodney left the Conference Room to head off for his lab.  He still wore his worried frown, and that was starting to upset John.  John ran to head off Rodney at the transporter.  They entered the unit, but John refused to allow Rodney to choose a destination as the doors closed after them.  They stood facing each other in the tiny chamber, John frowning and Rodney agitated.

“What do you want, Colonel?  I have work to do before we gather the gas we need.”

“Rodney, you’re my best friend, and you’re upset.  I think you’re upset with me, and I don’t know what I did.  Tell me, please, so I can fix it whatever it is.”

“It’s just…it’s silly, I know it.  You’re a grown man.  You’re entitled to your feelings.”

 

John felt sick.  “What are you talking about?”

“In the ZPM Lab, you made the manufacture unit respond to you, and you were all alone.  So you must have been thinking about _someone_ to make it respond.  Only I haven’t seen you with anyone.  I’d like to think that if you were in a relationship, you’d be friend enough to tell me.”

“Of course I would.  But, Rodney, I haven’t been seeing anyone.  I’m not dating.  I’m not having sex, no matter who gets thrown my way—and that’s getting ridiculous.  I couldn’t hide that from you.   We spend almost all our time together.”

“But you are hiding something from me.  Who were you thinking about, in the lab?  Who made you so happy that you turned on a dormant machine all by yourself?”

 

John was quiet for a moment.  This was it.  He could stay quiet, and maybe drive a wedge between him and Rodney, or he could speak up and really risk screwing up the best friendship he ever had.

 

**Lantea, I really need some advice.**

 

_I do not understand human relationships well enough to give advice._

 

**You know me, and you know Rodney.  What do you think?**

 

_I think, perhaps you should be honest with McKay.  He trusts your friendship.  He will not abandon you if he does not feel more than friendship.  He will stay by your side._

John turned toward Rodney again, and reached out a hand to touch Rodney’s shoulder.

“I was thinking about you, Rodney.  That’s all.”

Rodney swallowed deeply and raised his hand to rest over John’s.

“Me?  Why?”

“Besides the fact that you’re my best friend?  You make me smile.  You make me laugh, even in inappropriate situations.  Especially in inappropriate situations.  Every time someone outside this city has tried to set me up with a woman, or a priestess tries to make me part of a sex ritual, or a father thinks marrying me off to a daughter for a trade agreement, _you_ look as pained and uncomfortable as _I_ feel.  You’re beside me in tough times.  You care about this city like I do.  And…I maybe love you a little bit?”

“You _maybe_ love me?  You don’t know?”

“No, I know.  I didn’t want to make it weird between us.”

“John, _we’re_ weird between us.  Do you not want to love me?”

“Oh, I want to do more than just love you, Rodney.”

 

John leaned forward and pressed his lips to Rodney’s in a soft, questioning kiss.  Rodney immediately surged forward and opened his mouth to deepen the kiss.  He drew his tongue softly across John’s lower lip and John groaned and wrapped his arms tightly around Rodney.  They stood, wrapped tightly in each other, for several long moments before John remembered they were in a transporter.

“We should, um, maybe move from here, huh?”

Rodney slowly opened his eyes.  Then he widened them.  “Oh!  Yes, we should leave the transporter.  This is awkward.”

“Kissing me is awkward?”

“No, kissing you is phenomenal.  Kissing you standing in a transporter is awkward.”

“We should go to your quarters and continue this.  Or mine.”

“Yes, well, mine are closer.”

Rodney pressed the designation for the living area near his lab, and the transporter flashed briefly, then the door opened.

Right outside the Mess Hall.

John looked at Rodney.  “Maybe we should eat first, huh?”

“Ya think?”


	13. Chapter 13

“Dr. Weir, it’s almost time for the SGC to dial in.  Did you want to assemble the senior staff?”

“No, Chuck, Team Sheppard is at dinner, and I know Rodney needs to eat.  He’s been very bust organizing the storage of components in the ZPM lab.  I don’t want to interrupt them.”

“Okay, here’s the dial-in.”

 

The Gate came to life in a whirling WHOOSH, and the wormhole from Earth established quickly.  Chuck lowered the Shield from the Gate, and General Jack O’Neill walked through the Gate, followed by Dr. Daniel Jackson, Colonel Cameron Mitchell, and Vala MalDoran.  All members of the group were pulling pallets covered with SCUBA tanks, and O’Neill’s held a crate that Elizabeth figured contained the compressor they had requested.  Vala’s eyes were huge, as she had not made the previous trip to Atlantis with SG1.  Walls and panels all throughout the Gate Room began flashing blue and green, and Elizabeth started laughing.

 

“General, it’s good to see you.  I wasn’t aware that SG1 would be joining you this trip.”

“Oh, well, I hadn’t intended to bring the whole team; just a few key people I figured could help out here with the ZPMs.  What’s with the light show?”

“ _Someone_ is happy to see you.  Perhaps we can get a few Marines to take the tanks to the Jumper Bay, and you all can join me in the Conference Room.”

 

O’Neill’s smile grew bigger.  “Sure, sounds good.”  He nudged Daniel’s shoulder.  “I told you I’d be welcomed back in a big way.”

“You sound very happy about this.”

“If a whole city were happy to see you, wouldn’t you be happy about it?”

“I suppose so.  Should I be jealous?”

“Nah, I only have eyes, and arms, for you.  But Lantea could very well become my favorite Lady.”

“Just don’t let Sam hear you say any of that.  You know how she feels about you.”

“I never encouraged any of that, Daniel.  Ever.”

“I know.  Let’s go talk to your Lady.”

 

Cameron and Vala had already moved toward the staircase, and Cameron was trying to explain how Lantea had ‘walked him through’ flying a Jumper the last time he was there.  Vala looked all around them as they moved toward the Conference Room.

“I can feel her, inside my head.  It’s a _happy_ feeling, like the city is welcoming us.”

Elizabeth smiled at her.  “I imagine she is welcoming you.  Lantea quite likes friendly visitors to her halls.  I didn’t know you were a gene carrier, Ms MalDoran.”

“It’s a relatively new development.  Cameron tried the gene therapy, but it didn’t take.  I wasn’t sure it would work with me because I was a previous host to a Gou’ald.  Surprisingly, it did work.  We wanted at least one gene carrier on each Gate Team at the SGC, and I’m it for SG1.”

“The therapy didn’t work for Dr. Jackson?”

“He didn’t try for it, actually.  As he had previously ascended twice, and had a recent bout with being an Ori Prior, he felt that enough had been done with him.”

“I can understand that.  Chuck, will you ask the Mess Hall to bring coffee to the Conference Room, please?”

“Sure thing, Dr. Weir.”

 

Finally, O’Neill and Daniel caught up with the other three, and they all entered the Conference Room.  As soon as they all sat at the table, the glass walls and windows darkened to solid black and the lights brightened.  Lantea’s chiming voice filled the room softly.

 

_O’Neill, it is good that you have returned._

_You have brought me more visitors._

_I remember Dr. Daniel and Colonel Mitchell._

_Welcome again to my halls._

 

Vala visibly started at the sound of the voice, as did Daniel.  Cameron kept his cool much better, but O’Neill could tell that he wasn’t expecting to ‘hear’ Lantea aloud, since that once the last time he was on the city.  All of Cameron’s and Daniel’s interactions with Lantea were done while the men were touching monitors or laptops.

“That’s new.”

“Oh, it’s not really new, Vala.  She spoke to us the first time we came out here.  Learning about the sentience was a highlight of the visit.”

“She spoke to me through a computer monitor the last trip out.  I couldn’t ‘hear’ her like the gene carriers can.”  Daniel was almost pouting.

“I kept my hand on the control panel in the Jumper I explored last time, because she can’t talk in my head, either,” said Mitchell.

 

_I do not vocalize aloud often, as my presence could startle many of the Scientists._

_The personnel who do not carry the gene of my old people are not as aware of my sentience._

_I have agreed to keep silent until the city is more settled and most of the dangers here have been guarded against._

_You are most welcome also, Dr. Daniel._

_You must tell me how you decided to return from Ascendance._

_It is most wonderful to speak with you, Colonel Mitchell._

_You will please introduce me to your companion._

 

“Ah, yes, this is Vala MalDoran.  She’s a member of my Gate Team, SG1, and she’s also very special to me, personally.”

“It’s lovely to meet you, Lantea.  You have a wonderful presence in my head.”

_You are welcome to my halls, Vala Maldoran._

_You have an odd feel._

_You almost feel like Colonel Caldwell._

 

“Many years ago, I was taken as a host by a Gou’ald.  I was held captive like that for a very long time.  I was thankfully freed, and I have been working to reform myself since then.  SG1 has been helpful to me in that regard.”

 

_They are your family, are they not?_

 

“Yes, exactly that.”

 

 

When the coffee order got processed in the Mess Hall, Team Sheppard was alerted to the arrival of O’Neill and entourage.  Since they had finished eating and were only sitting and chatting, John volunteered to take the coffee and a tray of cookies to the Conference Room himself.  The rest of the team joined him so they could say hello to the visitors.

 

“Knock, knock—we have coffee and cookies.  May we come in?”

“John, I would have called you in a bit, but I didn’t want to interrupt your meal.”

“No worries, Elizabeth, we were done anyway.  We were just discussing the upcoming trip to the Rotha to gather this noxious gas that we need.  There are only a few people Rodney would consider competent enough to do the deed without poisoning themselves, and three of those are skittish about going off of the city.  So, it’s going to be a bit of a deal.”

“I would do it myself, but Lantea has basically forbidden me to do so.  It’s silly, really, allowing myself to be _managed_ by this city, but she’s a mean babysitter.”

_I am neither mean nor your babysitter._

_I merely need you to be safe, as you are responsible for the upkeep of my halls and walls._

_You are necessary to my survival, so I am necessary to your survival._

 

“And I, for one, am appreciative of this, Lantea.  Keep up the good work.”

_Thank you, Keeper._

 

“Fine, then let’s have coffee and talk about this, because I’d like to gather as much of the gas as possible, as soon as possible.  We have all other components for the shells in stock.  Daniel, you’ll really like this coffee.  Lantea’s new foodstuffs database helped us find it.  It’s local and wild on an uninhabited planet with an orbital Gate, so we don’t really worry about the Wraith when we harvest the beans, but we’ve started growing the plants in the greenhouses on the city.”

 

“Huh,” Said O’Neill, “I was wondering why you stopped requesting coffee for the city supplies.  Hey, this is really good.”

“Carson did a major analysis of the beans, both before and after grinding.  It’s a smoother brew, but has a less acidic solution and twice the caffeine, so it’s not as harsh on our stomachs.  The science staff and the medical staff are almost ready to build a temple to this coffee.”

“I can understand that.  I’ll have to smuggle some back to Earth with me, for private office use only.  If I let the SGC scientists have at it, I’ll never get any again.   Maybe Jack can start organizing a trade for it, from here to Earth.  There must be something you want that you’re afraid to ask for.”

Elizabeth smiled.  “I’m sure we can think of something.”

 

                                                 **********************************************************

 

Since winter had arrived on PG-48726X, O’Neill had arranged for the members of his tour group to stay on Atlantis for several weeks.  They would be there for the gathering of the gas, and would assist in building the shells.  O’Neill had also hoped that he and Daniel could help charge one to take back to the SGC with them when they returned.  After Daniel ceased being a Prior, and was back to his old self—sane, youthful, reasonable, and (to Jack) gorgeous, Jack had confessed his love to the younger man.  It was a risk, but Jack didn’t want to lose Daniel again without telling Daniel how he felt.  To his utter joy and relief, Daniel felt the same.  The long weekend they spent showing each other the true enormity of their love was a cherished memory for Jack.  

They had agreed not to reveal the status of their relationship, because they knew several people would resent them for it, but Vala was both intuitive and crafty, and she figured it out.  She promised to keep their secret, and to protect Daniel in the field, if they promised to allow her the chance to win Cameron Mitchell’s affection for herself.  Jack promised not to object, but he refused to play match-maker on her behalf.  As is turned out, Mitchell was very receptive to Vala’s affections.  Their relationship was only weeks younger than Jack and Daniel’s, but it was just as intense.  Receiving permission for Vala to acquire living space off-post, Cameron wasted no time moving her into his own apartment.  He also happily called his mother to tell her that he had a special lady in his life that he was very serious about, and he planned to take Vala home to meet the parents soon.  As for Jack, well, he told General George Hammond, who had taken on a fatherly role to Daniel back at the original formation of the SGC, before Hammond moved on to become head of Homeland Security.  Hammond blessed their union and told Jack to make sure that he always kept Daniel happy.

For his part, Daniel was very happy to move permanently into Jack’s house, which he did one weekend when Samantha Carter was off world with Teal’c.  He normally didn’t like to keep secrets from his friends, but he was very aware of the major, and unrequited, crush Sam had on Jack and he didn’t want to incur bad feelings from a team-mate.  He knew Teal’c would understand and approve of the relationship, but Sam would not.  So, he was happy to be sharing quarters here with Jack, without the probability of Sam walking in on them, or seeing them in the halls and finding out.  The room they were given was spacious, with a balcony over the South West Pier and a kitchenette area.  The bed was large and firm, and provided Daniel the best sleep he’d had in a very long time.  Or maybe that was just sleeping with Jack without the stress of Sam stopping by unannounced.

                               

 

The Away Teams had left for a two-night gas-gathering trip, and Rodney and John were organizing gene-carriers for shifts to build and charge the ZPMs.  Since there were four chairs arranged around the Manufacture Table, Rodney decided to team-up compatible people into teams for the building portion of the experiment.  The charging portion was going to be much more difficult to arrange, because Rodney wanted to utilize as many couples as possible, but was concerned that compatibility would be a factor.  Sheppard was of the opinion that they should try couples separately, and then add the groups together if the charging proved difficult.  Carson and Teyla wanted to try again, and Teyla thought that they should be paired with Bates and Ronan, since Ronan was part of her chosen family.  That reasoning meant that O’Neill and Daniel should be paired with Vala and Mitchell, and Daniel liked that idea just fine.

O’Neill was fishing off the South Pier with some Marines, having a great time.  Apparently fishing for actual fish was a novel idea for him.  Cameron and Vala were in the Jumper Bay, where Vala was receiving instruction in the upkeep of a Jumper.  Flying lessons were also offered, but Vala didn’t want to learn to fly a machine that Cameron couldn’t fly.  Daniel was relaxing in his quarters with a book on Arthurian Legends.  He was very close to finding a way to stop the Ori for good, and once that was done he was considering retirement from the SGC.  He had put in a lot of years there, and he’d gone through much.  He found happiness with Jack, and he really didn’t want to risk dying or getting seriously hurt.  Perhaps he could convince Jack to retire with him, and they could live happily ever after.  Maybe they could retire to Atlantis and help out the new citizens here.

 

                                *****************************************************************

 

Her people were about to build the Potentia.  They were going to give her power.  She would be able to protect them better with power.

The O’Neill had returned to Her walls, and he brought happiness with him.  The new one, Vala MalDoran, had such a spark to her.  Her love for Colonel Mitchell was pure and good.  They would be able to feed the Potentia well.

The O’Neill also had found love.  She was pleased.  O’Neill was vibrant and bright.  He deserved a love to keep him safe.  The Dr. Jackson was a good person for him.  O’Neill had suffered much in his life, and the Dr. Jackson spoke as if he had also suffered.  Together, they would heal.  She would try to make them part of her family here.  They would be very welcome to stay within her Walls.

The Keeper was also happier.  She knew his smile would be bright.  His laughter was a wonderful sound to Her.

The Medical Lab was almost fully functional.  The Beckett promised to make available happy Medical Personnel to begin manufacturing the Nanites for the Medical Tools.  They were all very excited and happy about being allowed to finally experiment with the tools She gave them.  Her Medical Facilities would soon be populated and functional as well.

She was finally getting the life She longed for.  There were plants growing in Her greenhouses.   There was laughter in the Mess Hall facility.  The Central Tower was teeming with life.  The Marines bustled within Her Gymnasium Facility and along Her Piers.  The Airmen shuttled the Athosians back and forth to the Mainland, and Her Gate was busier than it had ever been when Her old people lived within Her walls.

She still worried over the safety of Her people.  She still kept track of the areas they wandered within Her walls.  There were still dangers here left by Her old people.  She would be ever vigilant.

 

                                           ***********************************************************

 

Radek Zelenka followed Rodney McKay through the halls in the lower levels of the Central Tower.  Their security detail consisted of two new Marines fresh off the Daedalus in the last run, and they seemed worried and a bit in awe of the city.  Radek laughed a little bit, because the newbies always seemed in awe of the city, and this city was the most comforting place he could ever imagine living.

 

“It is good that we got pumps working to drain flooded areas.  I did not like not being able to fully explore the city.”

“Yes, well, I don’t much like not being able to explore either.  But we needed the power elsewhere, and the Naquada generators weren’t compatible with the pumping systems.  Lantea said we could better use the generators in the Mess Hall with the kitchen equipment, especially the equipment we brought with us.  The Stardrive is located down here, and we have to make sure that’s cleared out.  Sheppard wants to fire it up as soon as we have full power to the city.  He’s nervous about the Wraith maybe finding us again, and he has Lantea looking for a suitable planet to relocate the city to.”

“What of the Athosians?  I cannot think they would want to leave a new settlement already.  They are building home on mainland, yes?”

“They won’t want to leave.  At all.  Elizabeth has spoken to Halling about it, and they are happy on the mainland here.  And frankly, after the way the Athosians have shunned Teyla, and possibly forced others like her to hide their nature, I don’t think we’d be very interested in having the Athosians stay with us.  John’s looking into maybe salvaging a Gate from an inhospitable planet and transplanting it to the mainland here, so we won’t be stranding the Athosians when we leave.”

“Is very good idea.  Many citizens here now, especially the soldiers, like Teyla very much and they do not like that the Athosians have treated her badly.”

“The soldiers like her because she can totally kick their asses.”

 

Sgt. Kane started laughing.  “That is very true, Dr. Zelenka.  I’ve been here three months, and Miss Teyla has kicked my ass _so many_ times.  It’s hard to not like a woman like her; so soft and spiritual, and a hardass when it counts.  Why do her own people not like her?”

 

Rodney and Radek exchanged uneasy glances, and Sgt. Willis spoke up.  “Don’t think we are gonna start hating her, too.  We just want to understand the people on the city a bit better.”

“Teyla was a very revered member of the Athosian people when we met her,” said Rodney.  “Her father was the leader of the Athosians, and she was groomed to take over as leader.  She had this _knack_ for knowing when the Wraith were approaching to cull, and it was a talent her family shared.  It kept the Athosians safe for the most part.”

“Sounds like a good deal for them.”

“You’d think so, wouldn’t you?  Then something came up during a med scan when Lantea was paying particular attention, and Carson did some more detailed tests—and found out that Teyla has some Wraith DNA in her.  Probably her whole family.  Way back in the Athosian history, her ancestors did experiments with the Wraith, and bred into some people an early-warning system of a sort.  When SGA1 went to the mainland to get the whole story, we learned that the whole story was lost in time.  But the Athosians acknowledged that Teyla was different, and pretty much declared that she was unworthy of being leader.  They declared that she was unworthy of the Athosian people.  They still deal with her when they have to, but it’s not hard to see that they don’t like it.”

“That really sucks, Doc.  Like really, really sucks.  My mom is a pretty white woman from the Deep South.  She met my daddy in college.  He’s half-white and half-African American.  My mom’s entire family turned their backs on her.  I never knew my maternal grandparents while I was growing up.  The Willis family didn’t much care either way, and they raised me to have more sense than all that.”

“Your family seems very wise, Sergeant.”

“If I took Teyla home with me, my grandma would make her dinner and my gramps would ask her to show him how to use those sticks of hers, and if they found out that she was an alien, they wouldn’t blink one bit.”

“Is good to think that way.  Rodney, what is this room?  It looks like a lab of some sort.”

“I have no idea.  Can you open the door?”

“What you mean to ask is ‘Will Lantea allow the door to open’.  I can indeed open the door.  Shall we enter?”

“No offense Doc, but I think Willis and I are supposed to go into any unexplored rooms first.”

“Are either of you gene carriers?”

“Nope, the therapy didn’t take.  But we’re happy to be here anyway.”

Rodney shook his head.  “No, that’s not what I meant.  It’s a good thing that you aren’t carriers.  Some of the labs here, they activate when a gene carrier enters the labs.  We almost had a major disaster when we found a lab that housed a machine that caused explosive tumors.  So we tend to send in people that aren’t gene carries, in case something might be activated.  We lost a lot of people the first year we were here and a lot more since then, and then Lantea entered our lives and we learned to be super careful with our lives.  So, by all means, both of you go in there and search for danger—and possible shut-off switches.”

 

The lab door opened with a soft swoosh, and lights flicked on when the two Marines walked in.  As soon as they entered the center of the room, a red force-shield flickered across the door, effectively barring the way into the room.  The walls outside the lab began flashing red and yellow, colors Rodney had come to know as danger signs.

_Hear me McKay._

_Hear me well._

_Do not enter this laboratory._

_Do not allow any gene carrier to enter this laboratory._

_The room was as Ascension Laboratory._

_My old people used this lab to force Ascension._

 

“Are those Marines safe in there?”

 

_I would never risk the lives of any of my family._

_The Marines are safe because they do not carry the ATA gene._

_I shall attempt to find the plans for this lab._

_The Marines will need to find the correct panel to shut down the Automatic Initiation._

“Do you mean that if a gene carrier entered this room, it would have forced them to ascend?”

 

_This lab was meant to prepare the body and mind for Ascension._

_If the subject could not successfully enter the mindset for Ascension, death would be eminent._

“Great motivation:  Ascend or die.  Okay, Kane and Willis—go forth and search for the ‘off’ switch.  I’ll hook up my tablet to the access panel out here and wait for Lantea to download the blueprints.  You’ll be fine in there, she promises.”

“Right, Doc, we’ll get right on that.”

 

                                                 **********************************************************

 

“So, the Ancients were truly assholes,” said Rodney with no amount of irony.  “They really did stop caring about living.  They built the Ascension Lab to force Ascension onto people, rather than allowing them to come to it naturally.  They _created_ the Wraith accidentally in an effort to force Ascension.  I figure, if Ascending was so great, they shouldn’t have to try so hard.”

 

“When I Ascended the first time, my physical life was practically over.  I was given the choice to move forward and do some good, so I left my physical body behind.  Of course, once I had Ascended, I found out that there were all sorts of rules about ‘doing good’.”  Daniel looked rather pensive.  “When I Ascended the second time, I went into it thinking of ways to get around the rules.  The few Ancients that I met were quite overbearing.”

Jack O’Neill frowned at that, and then spoke.  “So you got the machine turned off?”

“Yes, well, we found an ‘off’ switch.  The whole room was the Ascension machine, so we’re working on taking the room apart.  I think we’ll probably turn the room into short-term sleeping quarters for the pilots driving the Stardrive.  We’re fairly certain that moving the whole city from one planet to another is going to be physically taxing, so having a place to crash when we have to switch pilots would be good.  And it’s a good use of the space, once we stop the room from being a killing machine.”

“So,” Elizabeth broke in, “The Away Teams returned with a full compressor that tested for an eighty-percent concentration of gas.  So we’ll fill as many tanks as we can tomorrow, and send the teams back the day after for more gas.”

“Why are we skipping a collection day?” asked O’Neill.  “I thought you were trying to gather as much as possible in a very short time.”

“Oh, the gas is formed by night-blooming flowers, and they bloom for two nights before a winter full moon, and two nights after the full moon—but they don’t bloom at all on the actual night of the full moon.  Winter on that planet lasts four months, so we have all of that time to gather the gas.”

“Nature is a funny thing, Dr. Weir.”

“Speaking of funny nature, did you enjoy fishing yesterday, General?”

“I did.  I caught something _huge_ that I was assured tasted like tuna.  And the flock of Marines helping saved me from being dragged off the pier.  It was the most fun I’ve had in a long time.”

 

Vala spoke up just then, a huge smile on her face. 

“I, for one, cannot wait to see this ‘surf shack’ you have on the mainland.  Are you going to be able to move it when you move the city?”

“It’ll take some doing, but we’ll be able to take it all apart and move it with us.  We may need help lifting and carrying the pieces onto the Jumpers, but once we find a suitable planet, we’ll be good to go.”

“Are you scouting for a new home yet?”

“No, we’re going to wait until we have full power before we explore further into the galaxy.  We need to make sure that any ZPMs we make and charge are stable.  Then we have to make enough to share around.  We know we need three full ZPMs to fully power the city.  We’d like to send two to you at the SGC, just to power your Gate.  And we kinda promised one to the Rothan, in exchange for gathering the gas on their planet.”

 

“As long as manufacturing and charging the ZPMs isn’t a horrible thing, we’d like to keep the SGC supplied with them.  Dr. Samantha Carter is working with the engineers and designers at Area 51 on a new spaceship design—one powered with ZPMs.  They’re integrating Asgardian and Ancient technologies.  It’s been on the back burner for a while since the main power source was hard to find.”

“Well, General, since the creation of ZPMs isn’t going to be as traumatic as, say, the energy guns, we may be able to fill the demand.”

“That’s very good to hear, McKay.”

 

                                                     *******************************************************

 

After only four days on the planet of the Rotha, the Atlantean scientists managed to fill five of the empty SCUBA tanks.  With the tanks hooked into place, and all the components loaded into the manufacture unit, they were finally ready to begin the manufacturing process.  Rodney ushered the first group, including Lorne, Stackhouse, Markham and Sheppard, into their seats at the table.

“Okay, everybody relax here.  Place your hands in the divots on the table and clear your minds.  Lantea and I talked about this at length, and we figured the best visualization for this process is ‘home’.  Think of safety, home, family—anything positive that makes you happy.”

 

The four men sat relaxed at the table, and then Sheppard held out his hand toward Rodney.  When Rodney touched him, Sheppard smiled, and the machine began to hum a gleeful tune.  This in turn made the other men smile, and Stackhouse began to hum along with the table’s tune.  Finally, all four men were humming along with the happy tune, each in his own key, and blue and green lights flashed all around the lab.  After only a few moments, the chute at the end of the manufacture table dropped open and two ZPM shells rolled out.  They were shiny and perfect and empty, but Radek declared them ready to charge.

The first team dropped out after creating four more shells, and the replacement team—O’Neill, Vala, Finn, and Miller—sat in their seats.  O’Neill felt a tad bit silly, sitting a galaxy away from his home and trying to think about ‘home and safety’.  His own home had once held a wife and child, and now it held Daniel.

 

_Hear me O’Neill._

_Hear me well._

_Your home will always be where your love is._

_Your home could be on Earth._

_Your home could be here with me._

_Your home definitely is with Dr. Jackson._

_Feel the safety of his love._

_Feel the safety of my walls._

As far as pep-talks went, it was a good one.  O’Neill held out his hand, like Sheppard before him, and Daniel walked to his side.  A short stool rose from the floor, and Daniel sat down, linking his hand with O’Neill’s.  Vala watched closely, and winked at Daniel when he looked over at her.  O’Neill smiled and relaxed, and the table began to hum and buzz.  The gas levels were down to two tanks, but the rest of the components were in good supply.  This foursome was able to create five more shells before the gas ran out.  Rodney was encouraged, because they had plenty of empty tanks, and three more months to gather the gas.  And they now had eleven empty shells, and the one-eighth full shell that Carson and Teyla first worked on.

 

“I say, after breakfast tomorrow, we match up people and try to charge these things.  I’d like Carson and Teyla to work on theirs first, so we can see how much farther they can charge it.  I also think we should get John and O’Neill in the charging station together.  They have the strongest expressions of the ATA gene of all of us.  It didn’t escape my notice that O’Neill’s team built the shells more quickly than the first team, and it would be silly to not use the strongest genes first.”

Vala smirked at Rodney.  “How do you know it’s not the strongest love that’ll charge the shells the fastest?”

“Vala, do you honestly think O’Neill’s love for Dr. Jackson isn’t strong enough to charge a ZPM alone?”

“Of course not.  I just wondered what you thought.”

“I am curious, though, about something.  When I was at the SGC, Sam Carter was all totally in love with O’Neill—from way back when they were on SG1 together.  I can’t imagine that went away, because he’s really awesome and she’s very single-minded.  I could tell a long time ago that O’Neill had it bad for Daniel, and I’m glad that they’re together now, but how does Daniel hide it from Sam?”

Cameron joined Vala and Rodney as they walked toward the Mess Hall.  He linked his hand with hers and addressed Rodney’s question.

“Sam tries very hard to spend time alone with the General, but he’s often busy away from the mountain.  As for Daniel, well, he’s been pretty busy too.  And Vala keeps flirting with him incessantly, so I think Sam thinks Vala is interested in Daniel and that he feels the same.  The flirting has kept both relationships secret.  We have team time at work, but we don’t socialize much away from work, so Vala and I helped Daniel move into the General’s house when Sam was off world.  We’re here now because Sam is doing some work on the Daedalus before their next supply run out here.  We’re hoping to be back home before Sam returns.”

“If the charging goes as well as I hope it does, you will be back in no time.  And you’ll have the means to just drop in whenever you want, because power won’t be an issue.”

 

                                  ********************************************************

 

“Carson, Teyla, I hate to put you both on the spot here, but I’d like you to charge up first.  I want to see how long it takes for just one gene carrier to charge one of these.  I know the first time you tried, you didn’t get very far, but now you know what you’re doing and what you have to concentrate on.”

“Aye, Rodney, we are prepared.  But I have to warn everyone: Charging the ZPMs enhances the feelings of love and affection.   You’ll all be very mellow and in love when you are finished, and you may be quite useless.  Since both myself and Dr. Keller are doing this, we have Dr. Biro waiting to do health checks when we’re all done here.  Blood pressure levels may rise, as well as dopamine levels.  It’s all very intense.”

“Well, then, shall we?”

 

Carson sat at the chair in front of the charging chamber, and Teyla’s stool rose to meet her when he got settled.  She leaned over to kiss him briefly on the lips, and she gripped his hand tightly.  The whole room lit in a soft blue glow, and gentle music flowed from the table.  Teyla leaned forward and rested her forehead against Carson’s, and the glow intensified.  As the music rose in volume, Teyla began to run her fingers through Carson’s hair.  She began humming along with the music and the vibrations increased.  Twenty-five minutes later, the chamber door opened and the ZPM rolled out, fully charged.

 

Carson rose rather unsteadily from his chair, and pulled Teyla into his arms.  They kissed gently, and he stroked her face.

“I do love you, you know.”

Teyla smiled.  “I know, and I love you as well.  We should go to the Infirmary for a health check and then get some food.  I feel light-headed, and I did not do anything here.  I know you must feel the same, if not worse.”

“Aye, I should probably have assistance in getting to the infirmary.  I’m not sure walking by myself is a good idea.”

 

There was a gurney waiting in the hallway, and two med-techs were there to wheel Carson to the Infirmary.  Teyla was fit to walk, but gave a suggestion that more gurneys should be made available, especially if more than one gene carrier was going to be charging at once.  Sheppard called Finn and Miller and arranged for a Jumper to be flown into the Secondary Jumper Bay, since it would be easier to fly people to the Gate Room and then to take them to the Infirmary from there.

Radek and Rodney verified the charge and announced that ZPM was ready to be used.  The shell was solid, the power source glowed from within, and there was no power drain.  Rodney looked to the spectators gathered in the doorway of the lab and asked, “So, who’s next?”

O’Neill held his hand out to Daniel.  “Shall we make some pure energy?”

Daniel smirked.  “Do you think we have what it takes?”

“I think we have what it takes to go forever, Daniel.”

“Then let’s go prove it.”

Daniel gave Jack’s hand a firm squeeze and he sat on the stool that Teyla had vacated.  Jack settled into the manufacture chair at the head of the table.  He looked at Sheppard, who was standing next to Rodney.  “Well, Colonel, We’re waiting.  McKay wanted you to sit here with me so we could do this together.”

“Yeah, I know.  Rodney, are you being auxiliary, or are you taking a charging seat?”

“I think three genes would be better than two, but I want to sit across from you so we can still hold hands.  I want to be connected to you for this.”

“Then let’s go.”

John sat next to Jack, with Rodney directly across from him.  He reached across the table to hold Rodney’s hand, and settled into his chair.  Beside him, O’Neill sat back in his own chair and reached for Daniel.  The music started before their hands even touched the gel-filled divots on the table.  There was no real discernible melody, but the tune clearly was meant to describe love.  John concentrated on Rodney solely.  He thought about their first kiss in the transporter.  He thought about their first night together.  He thought about tender touches, rough kisses.  His heartbeat accelerated and his skin grew warm.  He looked up and met Rodney’s eyes across the table.  Rodney was similarly flushed and his eyes were glazed over.

John never noticed Radek switching out one empty ZPM for a full one in the charging chamber, not just once but twice.  Finally, breathing a bit labored and skin warm and tingly, John and Rodney sat away from the table.  Jack and Daniel were moving away into a close embrace next to them, soft kisses and whispers filling the silence in the room.  Lorne and Stackhouse moved into the lab to assist in getting the exhausted and buzzed ‘chargers’ into the waiting Jumper. 

“Let’s get you all out of here and into the Infirmary for your health checks.  You guys probably need food as well.  You’ve been at this for over an hour.”

“Over an hour?  How can that be?  It felt like no time at all.”

“Sure, sir, but I bet you’ll be really stiff if you try to stand up right now.”

 

And, of course, Lorne was right.  O’Neill and Daniel stumbled into the Jumper with the help of Lorne and Stackhouse, who had to return to the lab to retrieve John and Rodney.  Once all four were safely ensconced in the Infirmary with sensors strapped to their bodies and food trays in front of them, Radek approached with a huge smile plastered on his face.

 

“I hope you are all resting well.  I have just finished examining the Potentia units that you all charged.  There are three.  All are fully charged and intact.”

 

Rodney’s spoon stopped half-way to his mouth, chocolate pudding totally forgotten.

“Three?  We charged three?  Just us four?”

“Yes, Rodney.  I have theory that if we have four designated ‘chargers’, and four ‘auxiliary chargers’, tomorrow we may be able to charge remaining shells.  I would choose strong couples for this task.”

Rodney looked to Sheppard and O’Neill for guidance, but it was Daniel who answered.

“Well, after a bit of rest, I think Jack and I can be ready again tomorrow morning.  I really liked the energy in the room with Rodney and Colonel Sheppard; they ‘felt’ good to work with.  I think maybe Cam and Vala should work with us, too.”

“Don’t forget,” said John, “Ronan and Bates volunteered as well.   I think Stackhouse and Markham may want to give it a shot at some point, but I don’t want to pressure anyone.”

“If strong gene carriers and strong emotions can charge one ZPM in half an hour, you should not have to pressure anyone at all.  People are pairing off here, Colonel Sheppard.  Colonel Lorne seems happier with Dr. Keller every day, Dr. Beckett and Teyla are rarely not together, Dr. Simpson and Dr. Carlisle are having lunch together every day.  I know that General O’Neill will want the ZPM units to power his small fleet of space ships, but building and charging them is no longer a problem now that we have this lab available to us.  And since we shall now be better able to dial directly from here to SGC, any pairings from there can come through to work in the ZPM lab.”

“Oh, I may be able to authorize the trips, but I can’t force anyone to couple-up and I can’t force them to charge the ZPMs.  But I can promise to come back myself, and to drag Daniel with me when I can.  I’m pretty sure I don’t really need him to hold my hand, but it’s a nice perk.”

 

O’Neill reached across the narrow aisle to touch Daniel’s hand, and Daniel linked their fingers.  The warmth in their eyes when they looked at each other was almost physical.  They were still gazing at each other when Dr. Weir walked into the Infirmary.

“Is it true?  Do we really have full power capability?”

Rodney smiled.  “Yes, Elizabeth, we now have full power capability.  Of course, we’ll have to wait a few hours to install the two full ZPMs into the power chamber in the ZPM Room, and I’ll want Colonel Sheppard to sit in the Control Chair to adjust any levels that are off.  This city has not had full power in over ten-thousand years, so calibration is bound to be off.  I trust Lantea to tell us which systems need repair once everything is online.”

“That is wonderful news.  I wish I could have helped.  This is just one more instance where I wish the gene therapy worked for me.”

“Well, you don’t need the gene to keep Lantea occupied with cultural references.  She’s learning a lot thanks to you, and not having the ATA gene is not a hindrance at all.”  Daniel looked rather thoughtful.  “I think you’re all giving Lantea the family she’s been wanting all this time.  I know for a fact that not having the ATA gene is no reason for Lantea to not appreciate anyone.  She values every single person on this city, soldier and civilian alike.  I feel very at home here.”

 

                                            *********************************************************************

 

Her walls fairly vibrated with the power now coursing through them.  Her people had given her what she needed to keep them safe.

Her people were happier now that they had power.

There were many repairs that needed to be done.

Her missile launchers needed to be cleaned and repaired.

Her once-flooded labs and social rooms needed to be cleaned.

Her theater needed new furnishings.

Her library shelves needed cleaning, and her data crystals needed repairing.

There was so much more she could share with Her people, and in time She would share everything.  There was potential for her people.

There was potential for families to live once again within Her walls.


	14. Chapter 14

Power.

The city fairly thrummed with power.

For the first time in ten-thousand years, there were three fully charged Potentia installed in the power station.

The lights were brighter.

The windows were cleaner.

The air was cleaner, the water was cooler, there was a low humming in the walls, and the people milling about the halls seemed happier and more relaxed.

The fact that they were in a war zone seemed a distant truth.

In the interest of keeping the scientists from freaking out, Lantea agreed to keep unknown systems and labs powered down, but there was still plenty going on within the city.

 

Team Sheppard had taken a fully charged Potentia to Rotha in thanks for allowing the Atlantis personnel to gather the toxic gas that the Rothans had no use for anyway.  They explained that the Potentia would power the shields around the Tower and village, and would keep their people safe from the Wraith for many generations.  In return, the Lord Protector issued a long-term invitation to gather the gas or any other materials they could use in their manufacture units.  Lantea was currently scanning the planet to find useful components so they wouldn’t have to travel into dangerous territory to gather weapons components.

 

O’Neill and SG1 were high in the Central Tower examining Lantea’s research library.  Many of the data crystals were damaged, and the data-pads were un-organized.  O’Neill was fairly certain that the crystals could be repaired or replaced with Asgard technology, so he allowed his people to dig around in the time they had left on the city.  O’Neill watched as Jackson and Mitchell worked, right hands making notes while their left hands were placed firmly on the walls nearest to them.  As the two members of the party who didn’t have the ATA gene, this was a sure way for them to talk to the city as they worked.  Still, the one-way ‘conversations’ were amusing, with Daniel or Cameron answering silent queries aloud, often after long pauses. 

 

_Tell me about Ascension, Dr. Jackson._

 

Daniel started, looking around the room.  Obviously the question was not meant for the others, but they would hear his response.  Still, his team-mates would probably be interested in his answers, as he really didn’t talk about his time ‘away’.  Jack, in particular, would want to know about his experiences.  His time as an ascended being, while interesting, was painful emotionally.  He could see Jack, could hear him, but Daniel could not talk with him or touch him.  Since returning to his life, and admitting his feelings for his old friend and now lover, Daniel’s life was easier.  He wouldn’t willingly leave Jack again, not if he could help it.  So, Daniel cleared his throat and sat back more comfortably.

 

“Could you ‘speak’ aloud, please, Lantea?”

_“Of course, Dr. Jackson.”_

“What did you want to know about Ascension, Lantea?”

_“Why would my old people choose Ascension?  Why would they prefer Ascension over living?”_

“Oh, Lantea, that is a difficult question.  When I Ascended the first time, I was near death.  Very near death.  I was given a choice of dying painfully, or Ascending and possibly making a major difference in our war with the Gou’ald.  I didn’t really want to die.  I had a lot to live for, and I enjoyed life.  Leaving just then was the hardest thing I had ever done.”

 

Daniel looked at Jack and held out his hand. O’Neill crossed the room and linked fingers with his lover.  Watching Daniel dying, and then witnessing his Ascension, was a painful memory for O’Neill.

 

_“If you did not want to Ascend, why did you?”_

“Because just dying, just fading away and leaving my friends and family behind, was an empty choice for me.  I had thought that Ascending would allow me to directly help my friends.  I was led to believe that I could make a difference.”

_“This was a falsehood?”_

“It was a mis-direction.  The Ancients, the Ascended Ancients, have these rules about not getting involved with the living.  They can observe, but not touch.”

_“Then my old people made a wrong decision.  Ascension is not preferred.  From what I have observed since my new people have come, living is the true treasure in this universe.  I do not understand why my old people could turn away life so easily.  I would have cared for them.   There are many amenities within my walls to make life enjoyable.”_

 

O’Neill kissed Daniel’s temple softly.  The chiming voice within the room held great sadness and regret.

 

“I will never understand how anyone can choose anything other than life.  I’m a soldier, and soldiers know that we may die someday, but it is always in the course of protecting life.  When Daniel was Ascended, it was the hardest recent time of my life.”

_“You have suffered great loss, O’Neill.  I would hope that you never suffer like that again.”_

“Loss is a part of life.  It’s the good and the bad.  Maybe that’s why the Ancients chose Ascension.  They couldn’t deal with the bad parts of life.  I mean, they created these weapons so that they could protect themselves, then they mothballed the manufacture center because making the damned things caused emotional pain.  That part sucks, by the way, but it shows that for a while the Ancients valued life enough to protect it.  Maybe they were just cowards.”

_“Please explain ‘coward’.”_

“In this case, I mean they weren’t brave or strong enough to deal with emotional pain.  We, on the other hand, know that emotional and physical pain is part of life, but that the good parts, like love and friendship and family, they make the pain seem like a very small thing.”

_“There are many reasons why I like you, O’Neill.”_

 

                        ************************************************

 

When the wormhole established in the Gateroom at the SGC, SG1 stepped through a little light on their cargo.  When they went to Atlantis, the four-person crew was laden with a compressor and several pallets of SCUBA tanks and environment suits.  When they returned, each member was carrying only one item each: A fully charged ZPM.  Oh, and they wore smiles.  Very big smiles.

 

“Walter, how have things been during my short time away?”

“No teams have been stranded off-world.  Colonel Carter has checked in and will need to be staying a few more days.  And the President is waiting for your call.  No emergencies have occurred.”

“It’s always good to come back to a clean house.  Please see that these lovely items are checked and properly installed.  I believe there are several geeks waiting for them.  After we clear medical, I’ll be making that call.  Thanks for holding the fort.”

 

The quartet relinquished their precious load and went to the infirmary for their proper check.

“Good luck that Carter is still gone.”

“I wasn’t going to lie to her about where we went or why, Mitchell.  I’m just glad I don’t have to hear her complain about missing the party.  She might have enjoyed picking at the tech there, but ultimately she couldn’t have helped us.  And I don’t really relish telling her _why_ she couldn’t have helped.”

“Uh, nope, that is not going to be a fun conversation.”

“I have an idea about that, actually.”

“Oh, really, Daniel?  Do tell.”

“Well, Sam is aware that Vala successfully received the gene therapy, which is something that Sam refuses to try.  We can tell her that gene carriers were needed, which is true, and that a counter-balance was also needed to keep the gene carriers stable.  Sam knows that manufacturing the energy guns takes at least two, and that process is gut-wrenchingly painful, so she may not ask questions.”

“And if she does?”

“Then we tell her the truth.  Is that such a bad idea, Jack?”

“Telling one of our oldest friends that you and I are now a romantic item?  No, Danny, it’s not a bad idea at all.  I’m not ashamed of you, Danny.   I love you.  I don’t care who knows.”

“That’s nice to hear, General.  Now, roll up your sleeve so we can get some blood.”

 

                        *******************************************

 

“Now that we have full power, and might I say that’s a nice thing to say, I think we should begin long-range scanning to find a new planet to call home.  We can still keep in touch with our allies through the Gate, but we have no idea if the Wraith will be able to find us again.  It hasn’t been that long since the siege, and I’ll feel a lot safer somewhere else.  Once we have a good location, we can send co-ordinates to the SGC so they can find us.”

“I agree that that is a good idea, Rodney.  I know I’ll feel safer as well.  But we also have to harvest a Gate for the Athosians to use on the mainland.  And as much as I don’t want to mention this part, we need to shore up our weapons stock.  We may need drones and missiles for the move.  John, are the soldiers ready to do that?”

“We aren’t looking forward to it, but we’ll do it.  The component harvesting is going well.  I’ll just have to remind them that the shiny-happy that’s floating around the city isn’t the only emotion we have to work with.  Lorne and I have been talking with Lantea about this, and there are a few things we’d like to try.  See if we can refine the manufacture process in a way that doesn’t send us all into major therapy.”

“That sounds like a wonderful idea.  I hate that we have to put you all through such turmoil just to build weapons.”

“I have a conference scheduled with Lantea and Lorne after lunch today to go over some ideas.  She likes conferences, you know.”

Elizabeth just chuckled.

 

                        ********************************************************

 

Radek Zelenka and Miko Kusanagi were in the Star Drive with four lesser minions and a squad of six Marines—standing guard, but sometimes handing over instruments when asked—cleaning and cataloguing the mechanics.  They knew they were going to have to use the Star Drive to leave this planet, and they also knew the system had been moth-balled ten-thousand years before and most likely wouldn’t work now.  Most of the crystals were broken and the main power cells were water-logged.  Since O’Neill had promised to try and obtain an Asgard crystal-regenerator for Atlantis use, Zelenka wanted a complete list of which sizes and shapes were needed.  Kusanagi was there to memorize the wiring and programming synapses, and also to teach Lantea conversational Japanese.  Lantea’s linguistic abilities were vast, but she needed people to speak with to practice.  The personnel on the city weren’t very varied in the way of languages, as most of the scientists spoke Latin or perhaps Greek and Russian, but English—modern English—was the predominant language.  Rodney McKay and Zelenka spoke Czech, of course, and McKay spoke French occasionally.   Lantea spent a lot of time ‘listening’ in the labs and gym and infirmary, just trying to pick up new words and phrases.  As a consequence, Sheppard and Lorne had had to request that the Airmen and Marines please not curse so much, thank you.  Elizabeth Weir was requesting new linguists to catalogue the languages of the Pegasus Galaxy, and Teyla was teaching her and Lantea the Athosian Traditional Tongue, used mainly in story-telling.

Lantea had been recording histories and stories from Teyla for a month now.  Dr. Jackson had given her the idea of an Ark to store knowledge and history, so she had decided to start one herself.  She had convinced Elizabeth to begin reading Earth histories to her for recording.  Lantea wanted to record science texts as well, but McKay refused to allow her to record anything sub-par, and he was very particular.  Sheppard and Lorne had asked for volunteers to read mathematical texts aloud, and enough Marines found the exercise amusing to agree to it.  Lantea’s Ark, as it was known, was now full of basic math theories and college-level texts.  Elizabeth was amused to think that if Atlantis was ever going to be an Earth colony, they would be able to educate new generations.

 

                        *****************************************************

 

_Hear me, Carson Beckett._

_Hear me well._

_I have had thoughts pertaining to the Gene Therapy._

 

“What are your thoughts, Lass?”

 

_I may have found a way to refine the Therapy so that more citizens would take it easily._

_Radek Zelenka must be able to speak with me._

_I must be able to speak with Radek Zelenka._

_I must be able to speak with all of the soldiers within my walls._

_The soldiers within my walls must be able to Merge with my systems fully._

 

“Well, yes, I agree that more people should be able to ‘merge’ with you, if only for the ease of defense.  But genetically, some people just cannot receive the treatment.  I’ve tried everything for them.  It’s basically a crap shoot.”

 

_It does not have to be a ‘crap shoot’._

_I have devised a way to utilize the Ascension Machine technology to adjust the Gene Therapy._

“That sounds a bit dangerous, Lass.  We destroyed that machine so people wouldn’t get hurt.”

 

_I would never harm my people._

_I would only make my people safer._

_Dr. Jackson explained Ascension to me._

_Dr. Jackson explained that those who chose to Ascend had chosen to give up on living._

_I would give those who choose the Therapy the chance to live longer._

_I would give my people the chance to live within my walls freely and without fear._

_I would have as many of my people Merge with me as possible._

_I want to see life flourish within my walls._

 

“Alright, Lantea, let’s look at your research and see what we can do.  I do know that a lot of the soldiers want to do a larger part in defending the city.”

 

_We must go to the larger Medical Center._

_I have activated the research computer there._

_I have requested crystals from the Main Library._

_Dr. Jackson was kind enough to install the crystals for me._

_Once the Medical Center is fully online, the treatments may commence._

                        **************************************************

 

“So, Sheppard isn’t Lantea’s favorite person anymore?  Now it’s Radek?”

“Rodney, I don’t think that’s the point here.”

“Aye, Rodney, I think Lantea mentioned Dr. Zelenka because he’s the one mainly responsible for the Jumper maintenance.  You know how concerned she is about the safety of the people in the field.”

“Yeah, Rodney—I’m always going to be only her second favorite anyway.  She practically moons over General O’Neill.”

“Fine, fine, so she’s managed to refine the gene therapy?  How did she manage that?”

“You could always ask her, you know.  But I’ll be reviewing the research with Dr. Lam at the SGC.  The whole things looks sound and safe, and if it works the way I think it will then people who failed with the therapy the first time could succeed with it now.  It’s definitely worth a look in any case.”

 

                        *************************************************

 

Her people were growing.

There were more opportunities for Merging now.

There were chances of more exploration in this galaxy.

She now had to find a new home for Her walls.

She knew this planet would not be safe forever.

She knew the Wraith would eventually find Her.

She would program a Jumper for long-range scanning.

She would ask McKay for a list of preferred qualities.

She would find a permanent home for Her people.

New life would grow here.

She would be a protector once more.

 

                        ********************************************************

 

John and Rodney sat on the edge of the South Pier by the pools.  This was fast becoming everyone’s favorite place to hang out in the city during free periods.  But now it was night-time, and the lights were low and the stars were bright.  It was a cool night and a light breeze was blowing in from the ocean.  Winter was fast approaching the planet, and there were no indications of what kind of weather they would be dealing with.  Still, the duo sat close together, leaning on each other and holding hands.  This was something John still couldn’t believe he could do, and nobody would bat an eye at him.  He turned his head and placed a gentle kiss on Rodney’s temple.

 

“This is nice.”

“Hmmmm.”

“I hope we find a good ocean to park on.  The tide pools are relaxing.”

“You just want to surf again.”

“Well, yeah.  C’mon, Rodney, admit you enjoyed learning to surf.”

“Physically, it was a demanding exercise.   But it was fun, I’ll admit to that.”

“I would like to make love to you on a beach.  I guess that’s just a cheesy fantasy, but I’d really enjoy taking you apart while listening to the waves crash against the shore.”

“We’d get sand absolutely everywhere.”

“I’d have a blanket, Rodney.  I’m not insensitive, you know.”

 

Rodney turned to face John and kissed him deeply.

 

“I love you, John.  I may hardly say it, and I know I don’t act like it, but don’t ever doubt it.”

“I know, Rodney.  I love you, too.  I never thought I’d find this.”

 

An out-of-breath Airman jogged up to their position and saluted.  John was trying to break them of the habit when he was relaxing, but the newbies still hadn’t got it.

 

“Sir, there is a message for you from the SGC.  It’s urgent.”

“Alright, Wilson, I’ll be right there.”

 

 

John and Rodney walked back to the transporter and then entered the Gate Room, where an anxious Chuck was waiting beside the active gate.

“What’s up?  Is it a digital message?”

“No, Colonel Sheppard.  General O’Neill asked to speak to you personally.  I’ve also sent for Dr. Weir.  The communications array is active in the Conference Room.”

 

John looked to Rodney in confusion, and ran up the stairs to the Conference Room.  O’Neill’s grim face met him from the surface of a monitor screen when he entered.

 

“General O’Neill, what can I do for you?”

“Sit down, Sheppard.  I have some bad news.”

“What’s going on?”

“John, there’s been an incident.  An hour ago, in Virginia, a drunk driver ran an intersection and struck the car your father and nephew were riding in.  The car was totaled, the child is in bad shape, and your father had a heart-attack during transfer to the hospital.  We aren’t sure if he’ll make it.  We’re ready to receive you here and transport you to his side.  Your brother is already there.”

 

John sat stunned.  Rodney clutched at his hand, offering no little comfort.

John’s father, with whom he had finally found friendship and peace, may be dying.  His nephew, only eight-years-old, was also badly injured.  He needed to get his act together.  He didn’t even notice Elizabeth enter the room, or hear Rodney tell her what happened.  Rodney called Lorne to the Conference Room so he could be informed that he’d be taking command for a while.

_Bring them to me._

_Bring the Keeper’s family to me._

_I shall heal them._

_Carson Beckett shall heal them._

_We shall heal his family._

 

“Lantea, I’m sure the Colonel appreciates the thought, but there are security measures involved.  We can’t just take civilians out of a hospital and bring them here.”

 

_You must do this._

_The Keeper’s family is a strong unit._

_They will be valuable to you in the future._

_Bring them to me._

 

“Hold on a bit.  I need to make a call.  This may not go your way.”

O’Neill left the immediate area, and Rodney rose from the table.

“I’m going to pack a bag for you, John.  You stay here and wait to see what plans are being made.”

“You’ll come with me?”

“Of course, idiot.  I go where you go.”

 

 

On the Red Phone, O’Neill placed a tense phone call.

“Mr. President.  I have made contact with Atlantis.  Colonel Sheppard is ready to come home, but Lantea has a different idea.  She wants the injured family taken to her.”

“The city wants the Sheppard family?  Are you serious?”

“Lantea doesn’t kid, especially about Sheppard.  She said the Sheppard family would be important to the mission somehow.”

“Is there a way you can move the patients without further harming them?”

“We can beam them into the mountain and transport them through the Gate.  Doctors will be needed for the transfer.  And there is the matter of security.”

“Hell, Jack, we’re maybe three months from declassification now anyway.  I’ll have General Jordan head to the hospital with Non-Disclosure Agreements for the doctors there, and you can all beam directly.  And Jack, one of these days, I want to meet this Lantea.”

“She’s a great lady, Mr. President.  I think you’ll like her.”

 

 

O’Neill ran back to the Gate and the open communication.

“Okay, Sheppard, here’s what is going to happen.  General Jordan will be meeting and securing the doctors that are treating your family.  I’ll have the Daedalus beam them all here, and we’ll move them through the Gate to you and your med team.  I wish you all the best of luck with the treatment.”

“Thank you, General.”

John’s relief was visible.

“Oh, and you may want to do some major cleaning.  The President wants to meet Lantea.”

“Of course he does.  After the crisis, okay?”

 

 

Carson bustled into the Conference Room, followed by Biro and Keller.

“Lantea told us to be here and be ready to receive injured parties.  I wasn’t aware we had people off-world.”

“We don’t, Carson.  My father and nephew were in a car accident, and my father had a heart-attack as a result.  Lantea wants us to treat them here.”

 

_They should be taken to the Main Medical Center._

_The treatment tools will configure with the Treatment Tables that are cleaned and active._

_The Medical Nanites will heal the damaged heart._

_The regeneratives will heal the rest of the bodies._

 

“Well, O’Neill wanted to use us as a trauma center.  This is going to be a good practice run.  Don’t worry, Colonel, we’ll take care of your family.”

“I know Carson.  Evan, I’ll be off duty for a while.  I need to focus on my family.  God, we’ll need to house them.”

Rodney scoffed.  “Seriously?  Our new place is big enough to house several guests for a short time.  Take a breath and try to relax.  If you’re too tense, you won’t be of any use to your brother.  Is his wife coming as well?”

“Anna died four years ago.  Cervical cancer.  David isn’t dating as far as I know.  We haven’t really spoken since I’ve been here.”

“Is your father dating?”

“Not in a while.  His last girlfriend was blatantly after his money, and it put him off dating for a while.  Me, David, and Andy are it for him.”

“That’s a shame.  Sheppards are awesome.  We should save as many as possible.”

 

                        *************************************************

 

Several hours later, the Sheppard family had been transferred through the Gate into Atlantis’ Medical Center and had begun Nanite treatment.  The President had beamed into Cheyenne Mountain to wait with O’Neill for news of the procedures.  David Sheppard was sitting with Teyla and John in the Mess Hall, ignoring cooling coffee and C-cherry tarts and staring out the large window.  John was sure once the crisis was over, and either good or bad news was delivered, David’s mind would be blown by what had happened.  For now, John’s older brother was in a kind of shock as he waited for news about his son and his father.

John’s radio popped twice and Carson’s voice announced that both patients were doing well.  In fact, young Andrew was about to wake, and wouldn’t his father like to be there?  John and David both rushed to the transporter and were quickly moved to the Medical Center.  John had not spent much time here, and he barely glanced at the bright windows and colorful wall-coverings.

“Andy is okay?”

“Oh, yes, Mr. Sheppard.  The internal damage was quite extensive when he arrived, but the nano-meds worked wonderfully.  We’d only used them on weapon wounds before, but they work very well on impact trauma wounds as well.  He’ll be waking in a short while, so I thought you should be here”

“Thank you, doctor.  Will you take me to him please?”

“Just go with Airman Wells, and he’ll take you to him.  I need to speak with the Colonel for a bit.  Dr. Keller is with your son.”

 

David Sheppard walked farther into the Center and John looked to Carson for reassurance.

“He’s really gonna be okay?”

“Aye, lad.  The boy will be good as new.  As a matter of fact, your father will be better than new himself.  Lantea’s little Nanite treatment practically grew a new heart for him.”

John sat heavily on the floor.

“Oh. My. God.  Can she do that?”

“Well, not her specifically, but those medical nanites certainly could.  Not an entire heart, you understand.  The trauma caused his ribs to break and penetrate his chest and heart cavity.  This weakened the heart muscles and caused the heart-attack.  The nanites knit the muscles together after we spread the ribs apart, and then the nanites re-knit the ribs.  From the internal scan I just did, it looks like the heart muscles have been strengthened greatly.  He’ll be as strong as you now.  But we’ll have to report all of this back to the SGC, as well as what was done to those doctors that brought everyone in.”

“Yeah, where are they?”

“Well, as soon they settled your father and nephew in our treatment rooms, Lantea sectioned them off and sedated them.  They’re sleeping in the main lounge right now.  I’m sure O’Neill will want to know this.  I’ll be calling Colonel Lorne here to gather all of the pertinent information so he can report.  You should go into treatment room three and see your father.  I’ll have food and clothing brought to you for him.”

“Thank you so much, Carson.”

“I’m thinking I’m not the one you should be thanking, Lad.”

“Oh, believe me, that’s a conversation that I’m very much looking forward to.  But she’ll be giving me privacy for a while, so I have time to think about what to say.”

“She’s very considerate, isn’t she?”

“Yeah.  She’s just about perfect.  I’m glad we’re here.  I could have lost my family.”

“Go to them, John.  I’ll be making my report now.”

 

                        *****************************************************

 

The Keeper’s family was safe.

The Keeper’s family would always be safe, if She could help it.

The Keeper’s father was strong with the ability to Merge.

He was not as strong as O’Neill or the Keeper, but he was very strong.

She would need to keep him here with Her.

He could be very important to Her.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Science-fiction, because it's fiction about science.  
> All medical knowledge is made up, because I'm a lay-person fic writer.  
> All science stuff sounds good, but I made it up.  
> Enjoy the wonder and suspend disbelief.

John sat patiently silent by his father’s bedside, holding the older man’s hand.  Patrick Sheppard had been moaning softly for about ten minutes, his head rolling from side to side, and Carson was certain he was about to wake.  Rodney had come to sit with him, to offer support and to meet the man who was ostensibly his Father-in-Law—or would be if the law were to change to allow such a thing.  Patrick stilled, and then his dull hazel eyes opened and focused on his son.

“John?  Am I dead?”

“No, dad, you’re going to be just fine.  Better than fine.”

“I thought I was dying.  I felt so much pain.  I couldn’t help Andy.  Then I heard the angels.”

“You heard angels?”

 

Patrick Sheppard’s eyes sharpened with focus.

 

“I know it sounds odd, because I’m not a religious man, but I heard angels.  Well, one angel.  A soft, wind-chime voice, deep in my head.  It told me I was in a better place, and that everything was going to be fine.  That I would be strong here.”

 

Rodney began to laugh and John smirked at his father.

 

“I think we need to work on someone’s bedside manner.”

 

                        **********************************************

 

“She knocked them out?  As soon as they arrived?  Why in heaven’s name did she do that?”

“Actually, General, she waited until we had the patients settled, and then she knocked them out.  I didn’t even notice until we began treatment and no one asked any questions about methods being used.”

“General O’Neill,” interrupted Elizabeth Weir, “I’m fairly certain that Lantea was only trying to protect everyone involved.  The move happened so quickly that nobody mentioned that the doctors were quickly read into the program.  You did tell Colonel Sheppard that security measures would have to be taken in order to get his family here for treatment.  Sedating the supervising physicians was a sure way to be certain they saw nothing classified.”

“Well, now we have more questions to answer, and I don’t think Lantea will be the one to answer them.  _She_ is one thing I do want to keep secret.  Have the doctors awakened yet?”

“Aye, they’ve been awake and fed our special blend of coffee as of an hour ago.  We did discover that the Pegasus coffee lessens the effects of the natural sedative quite nicely, so there are no headaches or hangovers.”

“Perfect.  Round them up in the Conference Room, and I’ll have a chat with them.  Dr. Beckett, I’ll need you to answer any major medical questions they may have, and then you can take them back to see their former patients and answer even more invasive questions.  Official orders are to tell them as much as they need to know so that we may possibly recruit them for the Program.  Right now, they don’t need to know that they are in a different galaxy or that there are people-eating Space Vampires out here.  Oh, and can someone get a tour guide for the President and introduce him to Lantea.  He was quite relieved to learn of the positive reaction the Sheppard Family had to treatment here, and he’s been wanting to escape his security detail and tour this place for a long time now.  And he may have a residual crush on Lantea, but you didn’t hear that from me.”

 

Elizabeth smirked and looked to her immediate right.

 

“Colonel Lorne, it looks like your first duty as acting CMO is to brief the leader of your country on this wondrous city and introduce him to the resident resident.  Good luck.”

“Gee, thanks ma’am.  I’m looking forward to it.”

 

                        ****************************************

 

Teyla watched from the hallway as David Sheppard told his young son a bed-time story.  This was one tradition that seemed to transcend time, distance, and cultures.  Teyla smiled as she heard the story of the ‘Little Engine That Could’ and vowed to herself to learn what an ‘engine’ was and why it struggled so.  Perhaps she and Lantea could learn these Earth stories together.  Teyla knew she would have children of her own some day, and stories of the Pegasus Galaxy were often depressing and filled with horrors.

Once young Andrew was settled and tucked in, David stood and walked to the door.  As he left the room he glanced questioningly at the door and tilted his head as if in inquiry.  The door whooshed shut and locked itself.

 

“Do you hear the voice?”

“I have heard it several times, but I do not consistently hear it as do others who live here.  When I wish to communicate with Lantea, I usually need to be touching a wall or monitor screen.”

“So why can I hear her in my head?”

“That is something Dr. Beckett must answer.  There are details that I fear I may get wrong.  Your son will be safe here while he sleeps.  Lantea will allow no one entry without your permission.”

“Okay.  Let’s go see my father, and then we can speak with Dr. Beckett.”

 

                        ****************************************

 

“I apologize for the close quarters, but I felt it would be better if we spoke in here while Mr. Sheppard was resting.  He’s been fully ‘healed’, but we need to allow his body time to realize that.  He’ll be tired for a day or so, and then should begin regular exercise to fully regain movement in his body.  The aches from the trauma should wear thin in a few days.  Now, you had questions for me?”

 

David Sheppard spoke first.

 

“Dr. Beckett, what exactly did you do to my son?”

 

“Ah, the tough questions first, I see.  That must be a family trait.  We are in possession of several medications—regenerative medications that utilize micro-scopic robotics called ‘nanites’—that can be injected into the body to heal or re-grow tissue that has been damaged due to severe trauma.  Your son was badly damaged in the car accident.  He must have been seated directly behind your father, because the impact wounds were similar in both people.  Andrew had a shattered left arm, several broken ribs, a broken pelvis, and a badly broken left leg.  Shards of bone nicked his femoral artery and he was in danger of losing his leg, if not bleeding out outright.  His kidney and liver were also damaged, and one lung had collapsed.  I believe you were told that he might not survive?”

“I was told to basically say my good-byes to both of them.  They wouldn’t even let me in to see Andy while they were treating him, so I wouldn’t have been able to hold him one last time.  Then this stern-looking General showed up in a bright flash, and we were all whisked away.  I’m still a bit unclear about all of that.”

“Right, well I suppose it falls to me and your brother to explain all of that to you.  For now, let me answer your questions about the treatment.  A Nanite Regenerative was injected into your son at various points along his body.  Before each injection, a deep-body scan was done to assess the damage and list repairs needed.  The nanites were basically ‘programmed’ with instructions on what to heal, and in what order, and organs and bones were repaired from a cellular level.  While that was going on, Dr. Keller was performing micro-surgery to repair arteries and smaller blood vessels to keep circulation strong in Andrew’s healing body.  A final scan was done to make sure we didn’t miss anything, and he was placed in a sterile healing pod to allow the medicines to work on his body.  The healing pods were new to us, and we aren’t completely sure how they work.  Your father received the same treatments, but with me as surgeon to repair his heart.”

“Okay.  Good.  They’re better, right?  And they’re not going to relapse?”

“No, they’re fine, as long as they avoid drunk drivers with spectacular aim.”

“Right.  I may have to make sure they never get in a car again.  So, where are we and how did we get here?  Because that?  I’m still not clear on that part.”

 

John took a deep breath.  This was not going to be the fun part of his day.

And he still had to bring Lantea into the mix.

Damn Rodney for abandoning him to his family.

 

                        *********************************************

 

“Well, none of the doctors are worse for wear.  After they gave themselves drug tests, they believed us.”

“I’m pretty sure we have Lantea to thank for that part, General.”

“Yes, of course Mr. President.  And how did you find my favorite Lady?”

“She’s everything I dreamed she would be.  The city’s nice as well.  If it wasn’t for the Space Vampire bit, it’d be a great vacation spot.”

“We’re sincerely working on that part, sir.”

“Did you recruit any of the doctors for your Program?”

“They’re gonna get back to us.  I think I heard one of them mention drinks.  Lots of drinks.”

“Be sure you have a security watch on them.  I don’t think any of them personally would be a risk, but I don’t want them to leak anything accidentally either.”

“We’re on it, sir.  We’ll have them signed up for the SGC, or they’ll promise not to try out their ‘No Shit, There I Was’ stories until after we declassify.”

 

 

                        **********************************************

 

The young Sheppard was a soothing presence to Her.

She had not had a child of Her people within Her walls for a very long time.

The Athosian children were vibrant and loud, but this Earth child reached out to Her.

She would watch him grow if She could.

She would give him a home.

Once the Wraith were gone, she would give them all a wonderful home.

 

                        ***********************************************

 

The soft music was a nice touch.  It wasn’t pre-recorded Muzak, that’s for sure.  And he didn’t notice any speakers on the walls of his room.  The lights were low, though, so he may have missed them.  But what hospital played Carl Perkins and Johnny Burnette?  Actually, what hospital played rockabilly at all?  He’d have to ask John about that.

He looked for the Nurse’s call-button on his bed, but couldn’t find one.  He’d really like a drink right about now.  The long conversation earlier, where he learned just how fucked-up he had been, and how close he had come to losing his grandson—hell, his own life—was taking its toll.  It wasn’t that he didn’t believe what he was told.  He did.  He believed it very well.  That was what scared him.  He took a long drive through Charlottsville, showing Andy the low countryside that seemed so far from the Nation’s Capital, and ended up in another galaxy.  Almost ended up in a grave, truth be told.  He’d wanted to see John again, but this wasn’t how he’d wanted to do that.  He heaved a heavy sigh.

 

_Something troubles you, Father of the Keeper?_

 

Yeah, that too.

He kept hallucinating that voice.  The one John swore wasn’t an angel.

 

_Should I call for a doctor?_

_Should I call for your sons?_

 

Oh, well, might as well go for it.

 

“Can you call a doctor, please?”

 

_Of course._

_Dr. Beckett is on his way._

_Should I also call for your sons?_

_Is there anything you need?_

“Water.  Some water would be nice.  I’m a bit parched.”

 

_I shall see to your comfort._

 

“Thanks.”

 

Maybe he should have asked for some aspirin.  He might have been getting a headache.

 

“Mr. Sheppard, I hear you’d like a drink.  How are you feeling, otherwise?”

 

“Dr. Beckett, thanks for coming.  I think I’m getting a headache.  And the hallucinations aren’t stopping.”

“Hallucinations?  What hallucinations?  Are you seeing things.  That shouldn’t be happening.”

 

“Dad?  Are you okay?  You’re not having a relapse are you?  I came as soon as I could.”

 

John sat on the side of his father’s bed and took his hands in his own.  Concerned hazel eyes met confused blue eyes as Carson began to check Patrick Sheppard’s vital signs.

 

_He reports to having hallucinations._

_I do not know what may cause this._

_Could he have had a brain injury I did not see?_

 

“We checked for clots and hemorrhage when he came in.  He didn’t even seem to have a concussion.  Mr. Sheppard, what are you seeing?”

“Hearing.  I’m hearing a voice that shouldn’t be there, because there is no person there.  And you’re hearing it, too.”

“Dad, that voice is Lantea.  It’s the city.  Did you forget, we told you that?”

“I thought that was a dream.  Cities don’t talk, John.”

“This city does.  Not much, only when she has something to say.  She told us to bring you and Andy here for treatment.”

 

Carson picked up his scanner.  “I’ll leave you to it, then.  Let me know if you need anything.  I’ll have food brought to you.”

“Thanks, Carson.”

 

John looked back at his father, only to find himself being watched with doubtful eyes.

 

“What?”

“What does the talking city look like?”

“What do you mean?  You wanna go for a walk?”

“No, this voice?  It has a body, right?  Like a robot?”

“Ah, no.  She doesn’t have a body.  Just a really smart brain, and a pretty voice, and a concern for the people who live here.”

“No body?”

“Nope.”

“And it’s not a hallucination?”

“Nope.  Just something that loves us.  We love her back, so it all works out.  Lantea, why don’t you tell my father about yourself?”

 

_Of course, Keeper._

_I would be glad to tell your father anything he wants to know._

 

“Right now, I want to know what’s up with the music.”

 

_I find the happy tunes are best suited for healing._

_Do you disagree?_

 

“Seriously?”

“We can probably blame Sergeant Biggs for this stuff.  He’s got this whole ‘50’s thing going on.  Everybody who has an MP3 player—which is most everybody—gave over their playlists to educate Lantea about music.  We forgot to educate her on ‘mood music’ and what might be appropriate for a hospital environment.”

“Do you have any jazz in there?”

 

_I have Walter Beasley, Kenny G., Louis Armstrong, and Billie Holliday._

_What would you prefer?_

 

“Not Kenny G.  Please.  Anything instrumental would be good.   Then you can tell me your story.”

“You mind if I hang around for that?  I don’t think anyone has actually asked for her story before.”

 

‘One O’Clock Jump’ by Count Basie began, quietly in the background, and Lantea began her tale—or what she could remember of it.

 

                        *********************************************

 

“All set to go back home, dad?”

“Yeah.  It’s been a wild ride, but Andy and I need to get back to our real world.”

“General O’Neill said the ‘real world’ would soon be made aware of the Stargate Program and the City of Atlantis.  Now that they have the Ori on the run, they can concentrate on letting the secret out.”

“And I seriously want to be in on that.  At least now some of our military contracts make sense.  And I promise to come back for a visit when I can.  I’ll be spending a lot of time in Cheyenne Mountain and Area 51 learning about this quirky genetic thing I have going on.”

“I spent the first year out here basically playing ‘light switch’ for the geeks while we tried to get the lay of the land.  But now that I can fully interface with the city’s systems, it’s a whole new ballgame.”

“Yeah, but you can see how I could think I was only hearing things after the accident, right?”

“Yes.  And I love that you thought Lantea was an ‘angel’.”

“Oh, I’m still fairly certain that she is.  And she’s watching over my family.  She’s one reason I’ll be back.”

 

The wormhole established, and David Sheppard adjusted his grip on his sleeping son.  Carson had decided that sedating the boy for Gate travel would be less traumatic for him, and the whole family agreed.  Patrick turned and looked at the Pegasus banner hanging in front of the Gate, and blew it a kiss.  Lights flashed green and blue in the Gateroom, and he smiled, then he turned and walked through the horizon back to the Milky Way.

 

 

“Great, now she has a crush on my dad.”

 

                        **********************************************

 

The long-range Jumper was ready for launch.

This was to be an un-manned journey, because She would not risk any of Her people.

She and Radek had outfitted the Jumper with detailed scanners and recorders.

She would maintain contact with the Jumper to the best of Her ability.

It was necessary to find a new planet to house Her walls.

She had hopes that She would become a true colony.

Her greenhouses were filling every day, with foodstuffs and medical plants.

Miko Kusanagi was building solar lighting for the greenhouses, so that travel through space would not be detrimental to the plants.

Her Star Drive was almost ready for testing.

She needed to know how fast She could travel; would it be lightspeed or soundspeed?

Could She move through the Universe to visit Earth, and how long would it take?

The Jumper would be slower, but it would be far-reaching.

The long-range scanners within Her walls had noted very little Wraith activity in the Pegasus Galaxy, but they dared not to hope that the Wraith had re-entered hibernation.

There was still culling.

There was still a threat of Wraith-worshippers feeding innocents to the Wraith.

Her people still had to travel to abandoned planets before returning to Her after trading missions.

This may always be the case, but She wanted a safe Homeworld for Her people to colonize.

 

                        *****************************************************

 

“So, we’ve found a way to build drones without traumatizing the soldiers.  It’ll still be rough, but we won’t need as much recovery.”

“Alright, I’ll have to defer to you for this, because I have no experience in the field of war.”

“Actually, Dr. Weir, you _can_ participate here, as support, if you want to.  We won’t force anyone, of course, but the new thought processes are more user friendly.”

“Explain please, Colonel Lorne.”

“Okay, well, you understand that in order to construct the energy weapons and drones, we basically had to enter memories of war and fear and strife, and use those emotions to power the machine.  Anyone going through that kind of mental exercise was a wreck.  We had to relive our worst in order to prepare for something that could possibly be even worse.  Sure, we got to arm our people with excellent firepower, and we got shields and protection, but our ATA-positive soldiers were haunted.  They were half-alive, with dark circles from lack of sleep because of nightmares.  They don’t smile as much as they did when they first got here because the wonder had worn off and the reality was harsh.

“Lantea didn’t like the situation any more that we did.  She doesn’t like to see us hurting, in even a small way.  I think we can all agree that maybe she coddles us too much by not showing us stuff she doesn’t think we’re ready for, and if she could have just handed us the weapons freely we’d have had them from the start.  So, as I understand it, Lantea has been spending a lot of dinner-hours with Dr. Heightmire and Dr. Koslov.  You may want to force people to talk to the psychiatric staff, but Lantea has been doing it voluntarily.  She asks hard questions.  And she came to me and Colonel Sheppard about the weapon issues.

“We got this idea of our military being total protectors.  I know we are, in our hearts.  I didn’t join the Air Force to push papers.  I joined to protect my country.  I joined to protect my family.  So picture this:  I have my mom sitting next to me, projecting feelings of safety and love at me, while I project the need to shelter her.  The emotions are different; it’s care and safe and love instead of fear and hate and hopelessness.  But it turns out, the results are the same.  Well, no, the results are better.

“I sat in the Danger Room yesterday, alone—with a med team outside, just in case—with only pictures of my family in front of me.  I concentrated on how I’d feel if they were living on Atlantis with me, how I’d feel if the Wraith attacked.  I got nervous, and anxious, but I was more concerned than afraid.  And that concern caused me to pop out a Drone.  All by myself.  A glowy, fully charged, ready to fire Drone.  And my heart-rate was up a bit, but not dangerous.  I got a clear check-up from Dr. Biro.  And I slept well last night.  No nightmares.”

 

“So, with a focus to project care and concern, the soldiers can construct the weapons without the stress?”

“Well, we haven’t tried an energy gun, but the Drones are good to go.”

“What does Dr. Heightmire say about this new method?”

“She thinks it’s healthier than the alternative method.  And we can use this while in flight or in battle situations because the soldiers are still battle-ready after the fact.”

“That’s…….that’s actually good news.  I love good news.  Can we try with the energy guns?”

“Colonel Sheppard is still reticent about allowing non-ATA soldiers build the guns, because he doesn’t want the DOD to think we’ll just crank them out for everyone.  I think O’Neill is on board with that plan, as well.  That being said, I’d like to do a trial run on energy guns with a volunteer group: two ‘targets’ and two support.  They don’t even have to be soldiers; science and support staff should also be able to handle weapons anyway, just in case.  I think Chuck wants to volunteer for it, because he fairly drools all over the guns during shift change.”

Elizabeth smiled at that.

“You know, most of our support staff and a lot of the science staff are not ATA-positive.  What can we do about that?”

“That’s where Dr. Beckett’s research comes in.  He’s been looking into the work that came out of the Ascension Lab, how that room activated the Ancient Gene to force Ascension.  It turns out, back then, not all of the Ancients were physically capable of Ascension.  They didn’t all have that gene.  The Ascension Lab forced a physical change in their brains to _create_ a gene from a dormant DNA sequence.  There was a chemical spray in the lab that built upon that sequence and created several new genes, one of which was the ATA gene.  The others are pretty interesting, and the Doctor is still studying those, but that chemical spray could help initiate the Gene Therapy in our people now.  Dr. Keller is testing on mice, which makes it sound like we all think our modern people are small-minded, but the fact is humanity has evolved, and we don’t have the same physical make-up as the Ancients did.  Also, while the Ancients might have been our fore-bears, they were essentially aliens compared to ancient humans.”

“But if this chemical works, we can offer the therapy again to those who couldn’t take it before?”

“We can offer the therapy to basically anyone who wants it, if they share ancestry with us.  Teyla has volunteered to be the first trial.  Since she’s from a line of Pegasus-humans, that should prove whether the new treatment works or not.”

“Wouldn’t her Wraith DNA be a factor?”

“Of course it would, and that’s the point of giving her the therapy.  If it works for Teyla, it should work for you, or Dr. Zelenka, or Sergeant Mills.”

“Who is Sergeant Mills?”

“New supply officer, just off the Daedalus.  He was given the therapy on Earth, but it didn’t take.  So, since he couldn’t work at Area 51 like he wanted, he asked to come here and work directly with the technology.”

“A supply officer is working with our technology?”

“Sergeant Mills is wicked cool with computers.  Drs. McKay and Zelenka have been riding him hard in the Research Library.  And he knows how to use the Asgard Crystal Matrix, so if O’Neill can get one for us, we’re all set.”

 

Elizabeth sat back in her chair and considered the dialogue she just had.  This city, once an empty hope for humanity, was finally shaping up to be a positive force.  They were well on their way to becoming a genuine colony in another galaxy.  She set out from Earth to step into the unknown, hoping to find history and medicine and weaponry and a future, and she was finally finding all of that.  She was not alone.  She had family here.  She had friends now, even though she struggled to keep herself distant from the soldiers and scientists.  This was her life now.

She was happy.

 

“Okay, Colonel Lorne.  You’ve done well in charge the last few days.  Keep me updated on the mouse situation, and give the go-ahead for the energy gun experiment.”

“Thank you, Dr. Weir.  I’ll just be glad to hand it all over to Colonel Sheppard again.  This is too much excitement for a simple painter like me.”


End file.
